


The Glee Holiday

by AnnParker



Category: Glee, The Holiday (2006)
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-19
Updated: 2018-01-07
Packaged: 2019-02-17 03:15:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 32,891
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13067961
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnnParker/pseuds/AnnParker
Summary: The Holiday set in the Glee World. Kurt and Rachel, both with guy problems swap homes on the opposite coasts, where they each meet a local guy. Will it be lasting love or are they doomed from the start after the vacation is over?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Standards disclaimers apply - I don't own Glee or The Holiday.
> 
> Hi everyone! After years of Criminal Minds fanfics, this is my first attempt at Glee (and my first post on this site--you can look for my other work on ff.net). Late to the party, I know. Blame some binging on Netflix. I'm working on a CM/Glee crossover that the lovely Gleeful Darren Criss Fan is betaing for me to make sure the Glee side is in character, but I got hit hard with some inspiration for this idea over the weekend. She's understandably busy right now so this is hasn't been checked over, so I'll own up to any mistakes. Its obviously seasonal so I wanted to get starting with posting ASAP. Please let me know if the characters seem really OOC.
> 
> Basically, this is my Glee spin on 'The Holiday' starring Cameron Diaz (Amanda) and Kate Winslet (Iris). If you're familiar with the movie, some of it will be similar/same and some of it I'm changing up a bit to better fit the characters I think. In this story, Kurt is Iris and Rachel is Amanda. The rest will make sense as we go. Hope you enjoy!
> 
> ~Ann Parker

Kurt Hummel twirled the glass in his hand, watching the contents swirl around the ice cubes. Anything to keep him from looking around the Christmas party his employers were throwing on set. Anything to keep the costume designer from seeing  _him_.

"Hey Boo, there you are."

Kurt smiled softly, looking up from his rum and Diet Coke to see his best friend, Mercedes Jones, standing in front of him. She was in far more of a festive spirit than he was, a headband with felt reindeer antlers on top of her head to go with her red and white sweater. "Hey 'Cedes."

She wrapped her arm around him a little. "Cheer up, it's not only our Christmas party but our wrap party. You don't have to see him after today."

Kurt sighed, wishing that was true. His life was  _not_  where he thought it would be at thirty when he had moved out to LA after high school with his best friend and step brother. They had all come out to the west coast in hopes of making it as singers, but that hadn't worked out. After just a year, Finn had given up and went to college, eventually pursuing a teaching degree. Kurt was so proud of him, even if his life hadn't been easy, particularly the past few years.

Mercedes had more success, finding work as a backup singer but she was still waiting on her big break. She was recording an EP right now with hopes of getting a deal with a record label. Yet, she still needed to pay the bills, which was how she ended her helping him.

In some ways, Kurt was fortunate to have two passions - singing and fashion. While he had never fully given up on the dream of singing, he had also come to accept that his uniqueness was both a blessing and a curse so he'd switched to making fashion his vocation. After sailing through classes at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, he'd been able to score a paid internship helping with costume design on a local movie.

That's where he'd met  _him_  - Adam Crawford. That was three years ago. At the time, Adam was just starting to become a recognizable name after a short run as a MI6 agent on  _NCIS: Honolulu_. With his golden locks, sparkling blue eyes and adorable accent, he was a scene stealer and that's how he'd landed a role on Kurt's first movie. And in the case of Kurt, the Englishman was a heart stealer as well.

The Ohio native found himself falling hard and fast for the British actor. It had been a no brainer to him when Adam had asked Kurt to help be his personal stylist. Particularly when it often led to the pair making out in Adam's closet when they were supposed to picking out an outfit for a press event or audition. His career was starting to take off as an assistant costume designer so having a client like Adam helped get his name out there more. It may have even helped him land head costume designer for the independent film they were wrapping up today. Plus he made Adam look great, which in turn boosted his recognition and his pay. For their careers, it was a pretty good symbiotic relationship.

For their personal lives, not so much.

Kurt still remembered the day when he walked past the craft service table towards the end of their five month shoot on that first movie and heard a camera guy and one of the boom operators talking about the obvious sexual tension between Adam and one of his costars, Eli Carpenter. He stood frozen as the pair talked about how they wouldn't be surprised if the two started dating, if they weren't already. He was about to open his mouth to dispute this when Kitty, the assistant makeup artist, strode in and informed everyone in the area that she'd already caught them making out in the hair and makeup trailer.

A few hours later, Kurt had this confirmed by Adam himself. Had him confirm that while Kurt had thought they were exclusive and  _meant_  something, Adam just thought they were having fun. That he felt something for both Kurt  _and_  Eli, but more so for the latter. Yet, he still wanted Kurt to be his stylist - that he still  _needed_  Kurt.

And Kurt believed him.

Two and a half years later and not much had changed. Kurt was still Adam's stylist. Kurt was still in love with Adam. Both of their careers continued to take off. Adam still flirted with Kurt when they were alone, occasionally making out with him during their private styling sessions.

Adam still insisted he  _needed_  Kurt.

Adam was still with  _Eli_.

Kurt's heart still broke _every time_  he saw the new Hollywood 'it' couple together.

Yet, somehow he couldn't seem to break off contact with the London native. Every time he'd see Adam's arm wrapped around Eli, he'd hear his father's voice telling him that he mattered and he'd think about finally ending this vicious cycle of pain. Then Adam would show up at his place with take out from their favorite Thai place or send him a nice scarf, making his heart flutter and cause him to bury the pain.

Which was why he knew that Mercedes was wrong about not seeing Adam again after the party. He knew he'd let that man back in even with the heartache he caused him.

"Attention everyone!"

Kurt and Mercedes both cringed a little at the squealing noise the microphone made as the DJ cut off the music and their director, an up and coming visionary named Artie Abrams, spoke up. It took a minute, but the room finally quieted down.

"First off, I just wanted to say thank you to everyone for your hard work on this picture! I feel really good about our chances at Sundance this year and it's because of all of you." The room cheered and applauded for a minute before he continued. "I also wanted to wish all of you Happy Holidays; you all deserve a great break so I hope you can spend the next few weeks with loved ones." Again more cheers, although Kurt just rolled his eyes. He might spend it with Finn and the girls, but Burt and Carole weren't able to make it out this year so they were going to spend it with Carole's extended family back in Ohio. That made him a little melancholy, but the person he really wanted to spend the holidays with was also not an option either.

"Speaking of loved ones…" Artie's voice broke through Kurt's musings again. "I would like to be the first one on set here to congratulate our star...Adam, where are you?"

Kurt felt himself stand up straight, his heart sinking. He watched as his love made his way over to Artie in the DJ booth...with Eli coming with him, their hands linked.

"Ah, there you are, my man. I'd like to be the first to publicly congratulate Adam and his beau Eli here on their engagement! Let's hear it for the happy couple!"

Kurt didn't even feel Mercedes grab his hand and pull him out off the set. He didn't feel her push him into her passenger seat. He didn't feel anything.

Because if he did, it would be  _too_  much.

* * *

"Rachel! Rachel, stop!"

The fiery brunette ignored her boyfriend's protests and she continued to throw some of his things out of the second story bedroom window of their brownstone and out onto the street of their Chelsea neighborhood.

"Rachel!" Jesse ducked as one of his boots nearly took out his head. "Quit being so dramatic!"

The Tony nominated actress stuck her head out the window, stunned at her boyfriend of five years comment. "Dramatic! You think my reaction to finding out you've been sleeping with someone else is too over the top?! I think I've captured the emotion perfectly, thank you very much!" She huffed and threw another boot at him before whirling around to find something - anything - else to aim at him.

"You drove me to do it, Rachel!"

The petite actress and singer froze for a second before stomping out of the room and down the stairs, tearing open the front door, ignoring the rush of cold air that hit her skin. "Excuse me?! I drove you to it? What, I just pushed you to shove your penis inside of her or something?"

"Rachel, don't be so vulgar, you know I hate that."

She rolled her eyes. "Please  _excuse_  my turn of phrase and explain to me how in the world I drove you to cheat on me. And with an understudy no less."

Jesse grabbed her arm, getting her to meet his eyes reluctantly. "You've been distant ever since you got this latest part. For the past  _eight_ months, you're gone when I wake up and still not in bed when I go to sleep."

Rachel narrowed her eyes at him, crossing her arms across her chest. "You know how committed I am to my regimen to stay in tip top shape. I have to complete my vocal warm ups and my workout in the morning and must end the day with yoga, a hot steam and vocal rest. It's part of my drive to be the best - just like you."

"Yes, I'm determined to be the best, but there's a fine line between the drive for perfection and crazy, OCD rituals. It wouldn't hurt for you to miss a show, spend some time with me." He put his hands on her shoulders. "Rachel, we haven't been intimate since before you started rehearsals over nine months ago. What did you expect me to do?"

She quickly pushed his hands off of her. "I don't know, Jesse. Support me?  _Talk_  to me?  _Not_  cheat on me? We've been together for  _five_ years, you'd think I've earned your respect enough to stay true to me."

"If you were home, maybe we could've talked," the actor answered, clearly not wanting to accept his fault in this breakup.

"Well we're talking now and all I have to say is...goodbye." With that, Rachel stomped back up the stairs and slammed the door shut. She soon screamed, flailing her arms as she jumped and down in place. She couldn't believe this was happening!

To most people, Broadway's newest darling had lived a perfect life. When she was ten, her dads had moved to New York for their work and to also help her chances of becoming a star. It was certainly a more accepting environment than small town Ohio for the Berry family, but puberty hadn't been easy to her. She was still picked on because of how determined and abrasive she could be. She only had a few friends and most of them she shared with Jesse so who knows if they'd still be her support system besides her best friend. Well, Tina and Mike probably would because they bonded over dance and Mike was in the show with her as a background dancer. But some of the others…

Feeling tears starting to form, Rachel forced herself to push those thoughts aside. She looked around their home and realized there were far too many memories in this place right now for her to handle. She needed to escape, to get away. Thankfully, she didn't even have to worry about missing shows since they were on a two week hiatus for the holidays so the theater could do their traditional runs of The Nutcracker.

A sad laugh escaped her throat. How fitting was it that she learned of Jesse's cheating because he was 'lonely'  _right_ as she had some time off to spend with him?

She made her way back up to their bedroom, grabbing her tablet and starting to search for where she could disappear to for the holiday. Her dads were visiting family in Ohio, but she just didn't think she could handle that right now. To see the looks of pity from her extended family. Successful career didn't matter to them, but alone at thirty did.

So where to? London? No, if she was getting away, might as well go someplace warmer and work on a tan. The Caribbean? Sit on the beach, reading and drinking cocktails? No, that was likely to get boring real quick. She needed culture, civilization. The West Coast maybe? She had enjoyed LA the one time she visited, but hadn't been able to do everything she'd wanted.

Biting her lip and sighing, she took a quick break to log into Facebook. That's when she noticed a post from an old friend back in elementary school. They pair had reconnected a few years ago online, although they didn't talk too much.

**Mercedes Jones** **: Where can I send a friend on vacation for cheap? He really needs to get away for a bit and I want to help him out.**

Hmm, interesting. Mercedes was in LA so maybe…

Before she could think about it too long, Rachel opened up a chat box.

_Hi Mercedes! How are you? It's been awhile, I know. Been busy, busy. Listen, I saw your post about your friend. Funny thing, I was thinking about coming out to LA for my holiday break. Do you think he'd want to come to New York? He could stay at my place and I could stay at his...like a house swap! Message me back if you're interested! Sincerely, Rachel Berry_

Rachel set down her tablet, staring at the ceiling above her bed. Was she really thinking about—

The dinging noise of a reply stopped her thoughts from spiraling.

_Hey girl! I'm good; how about you? I think Kurt would LOVE to come to New York. I know he's liked it the few times he's visited for short weekend trips. A house swap sounds great. He needs out of LA like ASAP and Christmas time in New York sounds like the perfect distraction. How quickly can you do the swap? His place is fabulous, you'll love it!_

Rachel smiled.

_Sounds like a plan! I do just have one question though — any guys there I should be worried about? I do NOT want a man around right now. Or at least one that is dating potential._

_Not really. The only guys I'd be worried about stopping by his place are gay so…_

_Perfect! Is tomorrow too soon?_

Mercedes looked over her shoulder at Kurt sitting on his couch, still crying. After she'd gotten him in the door, the shell he'd managed to crawl into since the announcement cracked wide open and he hadn't stopped since. That was almost two hours ago and about forty five minutes since she'd made that desperate post on Facebook.

_Tomorrow's perfect._

She turned back to swapping contact information and addresses with Rachel before pulling up Expedia and buying Kurt a ticket to the Big Apple. She'd go with him, but she already had a cruise planned with her family for the holiday. Once all his itinerary was set, she stood up and walked over to her best friend.

"Boo, we need to pack."

Sniffs were the first response she got. "Pack?"

"Yep!" She put on a bright smile. "You need to get away for awhile so I've just set you up with a ticket to New York City!" She grabbed his hands and pulled him off the couch. "And your flight lives at 8 AM so we need get going."

Kurt blinked, wiping the tears out of his eyes. "New York? What in the world are you talking about?"

"You heard me, White Boy. My old friend Rachel lives in New York but is looking to get away to LA for a bit. You two are switching houses for two weeks so you don't have to pay for a place to stay. And I used my frequent flyer miles to get you the ticket. So you can spend your money on delicious food, taking in some Broadway shows and, of course—"

"Shopping!" Kurt pulled his best friend to him, hugging her tight. Some retail therapy was  _exactly_ what he needed. Walking around the bright lights of Time Square with a latte and some new purchases was just how he could work to forget this awful day. To put Adam behind him. "'Cedes, I love you so much."

Mercedes pulled back, kissing his cheek. "I love you too, Boo. Now, let's get you packed!"

* * *

"You sure you don't mind?"

Blaine rolled his eyes...again. "Yes, Rach, I'm sure I don't mind being here to let in this guy you've never met and give him keys to your place."

Rachel huffed. "I know this is  _crazy_! I should just call it off."

Her best friend spun her around to face him, similar to how Jesse had just yesterday. The only difference was how much more gentle Blaine was. She knew he was the one she could count on. Not only was he the lead and her romantic interest in the play, but they'd been friends since he'd started at NYADA when she was a sophomore. They were quick to figure out they not only had similar ambitions, but also tastes in music and classic musicals. And after she quickly got over her small crush on him for a bit that winter, they had become best friends. He'd been with her before Jesse and now he'd be there for her after.

"No you shouldn't. Despite how unusual this situation is and how unlike this impulsive behavior is for you, I actually think it could be  _great_ for you. You need some time to relax, decompress, and process everything. Some time in sunny LA will be good for you." She smiled a little at his reassurance. "And besides, it sounds like this Kurt guy needs to escape just like you so it's highly unlikely that he'll rob you blind."

A laugh escaped as she gently shoved his shoulder. "Stop it."

Blaine chuckled. "Don't worry, seriously. Bas and I can stop by a few times just to make sure, if you're worried." He paused, "Well, I can. Bas has to go to Chicago for work in two days."

"Over the holidays?" Rachel asked. There was a part of her that really wasn't sure what to make of Sebastian. Blaine and him had started dating six months ago after meeting at a club, which was out of character for her bestie. But apparently the pair had bonded over their glee club pasts. They would've actually had gone to high school together but Blaine's family ended up moving to London for his last two years of high school. He said he would have complained but he'd ended up getting to do some work on a show in the West End during the summer between his junior and senior years, which helped him land his NYADA audition and acceptance.

Blaine sighed, "Yeah, I know, not the best timing, but apparently they need to reshoot some scenes and this was the only time everyone could do it." Sebastian was finally getting his foot in the door with his acting career, shooting a made for TV movie the past two months.

Rachel nodded. "Well, I'm sure he'll be back for Christmas and I'll be back for New Years. And don't worry about checking on Kurt, I'm sure he'll be fine. Unless you feel otherwise when you give him the keys when you meet."

Blaine nodded. "Sounds good. I'm sure he's a perfectly decent human being." Just then a car honked outside. "Now go, that's your ride to the airport."

"Thanks B." The pair exchanged a quick hug before she was out the door in her Uber. "Merry Christmas!"

"Happy Hanukkah!"

* * *

Kurt got settled into his seat, pulling his seat belt on and taking a deep, cleansing breath. He could do this. He could go to New York and enjoy himself. He could forget—

The chirping from his phone made him frown, knowing that custom text alert was from the person he was trying to escape. He bit his lip, debating, before caving and reading the message.

_Missed you last night! :( And now I hear you're going away for the holidays? What will I do without you to help me for these holiday parties? ;)_

Anger flared up inside of him.

_I'm real sure you and your FIANCE missed me. You're perfectly capable of dressing yourself, I think you'll manage. Please leave me alone, Adam. You and I both know why I'm going to the East Coast._

Sighing, Kurt turned his phone off as the flight attendant started to review the safety information.

He could do this.

Couldn't he?


	2. Chapter 2

It was a few hours later and the fashionista was finally pulling up to the address he'd gotten from Mercedes, smiling when he saw the light snowfall from the day earlier shimmering from the street lights. Yeah, he could do this. He helped the Uber driver get his two bags out, throwing his messenger bag strap over his shoulder as well.

"Thank you so much. Merry Christmas!"

"Mr. Hummel?"

Kurt spun around, keeping a firm grip on his two rolling bags. Who knew who he was? His eyes landed on two men coming down the sidewalk towards him. One was a tall, lanky man with a sneer on his face that reminded him of a meerkat. He wasn't sure he liked the look of this guy.

The other one was shorter, but Kurt was immediately taken with him. He seemed to exude confidence and kindness. He might be a friend.

"Um, that's me. Do I know you from somewhere or something? It's been awhile since I've been in the city."

The pair were now in front of him, coming to a stop. The shorter one smiled and shook his head. "No, no. I'm Rachel Berry's friend, well,  _we_ are."

"Sure we are," the tall one rolled his eyes.

"Sebastian, behave," the other teased back before turning back to Kurt. "Name is Blaine. Rachel was nervous about leaving her keys under the mat so she got your flight information from your mutual friend…"

"Mercedes," Kurt supplied.

"Yes!" Blaine answered excitedly. "And asked me to meet you and give you these." He jingled the keys to Kurt's home away from home for the next two weeks. Before Kurt could take them, Blaine reached over and grabbed one of Kurt's bags. "Here, let us help you inside and show you around." Kurt smiled a little at the stranger's kindness.

"Killer, we have reservations to get to."

Kurt's smile turned into a frown at Sebastian's comment. "I'll be okay if you have to get somewhere."

But Blaine was already up the stairs with his bag and the keys. "This won't take but a minute, Bas." The door swung open, "After you, Mr. Hummel."

"Why thank you, Mr…"

Blaine smiled. "Anderson."

"Thank you Mr. Anderson," Kurt smiled, setting his bag in the corner, Blaine following suit. "You really don't have to show me around, however."

Kurt turned and met the other man's eyes, noting the lovely hazel color. "Are you sure?" A small cough could be heard from outside.

Kurt nodded, "Positive. You can let Ms. Berry know I got here in one piece and her place is in good hands. I promise to not burn it down."

Blaine laughed, handing over the keys. "Will do. Hope you enjoy your holiday."

"Thanks, you too." Kurt turned and forced a smile at the other man. "Hope you two enjoy your date."

Sebastian smirked. "Oh we will, won't we Killer?"

Blaine affectionately rolled his eyes, grabbing Sebastian's hand. "I'm sure we will." He turned to look over his shoulder once more and waved goodbye. "Bye Kurt."

"Nice to meet you both, bye!"

Kurt watched them for just a second before someone else caught his eye. It was an elderly man with a walker and a young, female nurse walking past. He watched them as they slowly start to make their way up the steps of the brownstone next door. He nodded and smiled at the nurse when she made brief eye contact. It somehow made him feel better knowing it wasn't a nice, happy in love couple next door. He didn't need to see any more of that.

Shutting the door, he locked the deadbolt before taking a quick tour around the house. It was nice even if it wasn't  _quite_ his style. He could tell he'd make good use out of the kitchen, although after taking inventory of the cupboards he wondered what kind of diet Rachel followed. After that, his first priority was to unpack and inspect his clothing for wrinkles. He wasn't out to impress anyone in particular while here, but he was always going to try to look good.

An hour later and he knew it was time to get some food. Then...who knows?

* * *

It hadn't taken Rachel long to quickly fall in love with Kurt's place. There was a doorman that greeted her and security that checked her ID before giving her keys and showing her to his door. He lived on the seventh floor of twenty floor apartment complex. Not the penthouse, but it was still nice even if it was smaller than what she was used to. It had a good view of the city from the living room and a fully stocked kitchen with every possible gadget she could need. Too bad she didn't really cook that much. The shower looked like heaven as did the bed. Yes, she could be comfortable here. She took some time to unpack, humming to herself, before feeling something brush her leg. She jumped slightly before looking down and seeing the brown and black tabby cat, Brian, staring back up at her. She'd forgotten Mercedes had mentioned Kurt had a cat that would need to be looked after.

"Hello there," she greeted as she bent down to pet him. Brian squinted his green eyes at her before letting her scratch his chin for a few seconds. Then he swished his tail and walked off. "Well okay, nice to meet you," she chuckled to herself.

After unpacking, she headed out to find some good vegan food. And wine, lots of wine. If she was going to relax, she knew alcohol would be required.

* * *

Loud knocking startled Rachel out of her sleep several hours later. She glanced at her phone, frowning when it was eleven at night. Or according to her body, 2 AM. Who was trying to visit Kurt at this hour? The knocking continued and she knew she'd have to let this person in or they'd wake up some of his neighbors. How did they even get past the security guard? Grabbing her robe and throwing it on, she quietly made her way down the hall towards the door when she heard a voice.

"Come on Bro, I can't find my key right now, let me in!"

Rachel furrowed her brow. Bro? Well, that likely ruled out an ex or something. None of the gay guys she knew used frat speak. More knocking made her jump again before she was quick to open the door. She was surprised to see a tall, handsome man before her. Quite tall; basically towering over her.

"You're not Kurt."

Rachel smiled at the statement. "No I am not."

The man ran a hand through his hair. "Is he here?" He took in her state of dress, "Did he switch teams again?"

_Again_? "I don't think that's how it works, and no he's not."

The man sighed. "I'm so confused."

She could tell that she needed to explain more and that it shouldn't be in the hallway. "Come in and I'll fill you in."

He sent her a cute, crooked smile and followed her in. "Thanks. You mind if I use the bathroom real quick?"

Rachel blinked, "No, go ahead." For a brief second, she questioned what she was doing. What if she'd just let some psycho in here? That thought vanished when he turned to face her again.

"I'm Finn, by the way." He offered her his hand to shake, which she quickly did.

"Rachel Berry."

"Nice to meet you. I'll be back in just a sec." He quickly disappeared, apparently very familiar with the layout of the apartment. Rachel used that time to quickly look herself over in the hallway mirror, smoothing her hair out with her fingers and adjusting the robe some. She then went into the kitchen, tapping her fingers nervously on the counter.

"Much better," Finn smiled as he entered a little bit later. "Now, Rachel, why are you in my brother's place and he isn't?"

Rachel blinked, processing 'brother.' "Um, we switched houses for two weeks. I came here and he's at my place in New York. I needed to get away and apparently so did he. Our friend Mercedes set it up." She paused as Finn seemed to take this in. "He didn't tell you?"

"No...he  _did_ call me late last night, but I didn't hear it. I hadn't gotten around to calling him back yet…" Finn sighed, taking a seat on one of the barstools. "Which I now feel bad about given what you just told me and with what I saw online today."

"Online?" Rachel asked.

Finn nodded. "Yeah, his...well, I guess you'd call him an ex, got engaged. I figured I'd just get him to talk to me tonight, this is our usual once a month night to hang out. But I had gotten held up at an work thing, which is why I'm here so late." Rachel offered him a small smile in sympathy. "New York? Seriously?"

She nodded. "Yes."

Finn shook his head. "That is  _so_ not like him to be this…"

"Impulsive?" Rachel supplied.

Finn nodded, "Yeah! I'm actually impressed he went through with it."

"That makes two of us." Finn shot her a look of confusion and she shook her head. "I mean about me. It's not like me either to just pack up and go. I'm actually not sure what I was thinking."

"Well, sometimes doing something that's out of our normal routine and makes us a little uncomfortable can be just what we need to get out of a funk," Finn offered.

Rachel blinked. "Wow. That was quite insightful. How'd you get so wise?"

Finn simply shrugged, offering a small smile again. "Experience I guess. So what were you running away from in the Big Apple?"

Rachel sighed, "My cheating ex." She chuckled bitterly, looking down at her fingernails. "It's funny, it wasn't until he pointed it out as to  _why_ he cheated had I realized how long it'd been for us. No wonder I've been so tense lately."

_...Did I really just say that?_ Rachel had to keep herself from face palming. Where had her filter gone?

"Well that's his loss then," Finn answered with another smile. "'Cause you're beautiful."

The broadway star looked up, meeting his soft brown eyes before hers flickered to his lips for a second. Why did one small compliment from a stranger make her heart flutter more than anything Jesse had said to her over the past year? She noticed his eyes do the same shift and something inside of her broke. This is what vacation was supposed to be about, right?

"Would you like some wine?"

Finn's smile grew, "Kurt always keeps a few beers in the fridge just for when I stop by."

She returned the facial expression. "Perfect."

After she handed him a beer and poured herself another glass of wine, she gestured toward the living room. Finn was quick to follow her to the couch. "So what do you do in New York?"

"I'm on Broadway. I'm actually a lead in a revival of  _She Loves Me_  right now," she beamed.

Finn smiled, "Really? That's awesome!"

"It is!" She took a sip from her glass, looking down at the carpet. She was suddenly shy, but wanting to impress him. Why does his opinion matter? "I was actually nominated for a Tony Award for it."

Finn's eyes widened, but Rachel missed that facial expression. "Wow! Congrats! That's like really cool. You must have an great voice."

Rachel looked up and smiled at him. "Thanks and I like to think I do. I've been working towards getting on the stage like this my whole life. Singing  _is_  my life."

"Yeah, I get that. I used to sing in our high school glee club with Kurt and Mercedes. We never made it past sectionals, but it was fun. That's actually how the three of us ended up in LA, trying to make it as singers. Well, the three of us after Kurt got rejected by NYADA, which I still maintain was bullshit, but I think we all found other things we're good at, particularly him." He had rambled on for a bit there, finally pausing to meet her gaze.

"You sing?"

Finn nodded, "Yeah and play drums." He noticed the look on her face. "Why?"

Rachel had no idea what was coming over her. The alcohol? Sure, that was it. "Sing with me?"

He shrugged, "Um, sure." Rachel smiled and grabbed her phone. "Like right now?"

"Why not? We won't sing loudly, I just really want to hear your voice." She found the karaoke version of a Grease classic and grabbed Finn's hand, pulling him off the couch. "You know  _Grease_ , right?"

Finn grinned. "Totally." And then he started the song.

_I got chills, they're multiplying_  
_And I'm losing control_  
 _Cause the power you're supplying_  
 _It's electrifying!_  
  
Finn acted like she had shocked his hand, making her laugh as she started her part.

_You better shape up, cause I need a man_  
_And my heart is set on you_  
 _You better shape up, you better understand_  
 _To my heart, I must be true_  
 _Nothing left, nothing left for me to do_

She put her hand on his chest, walking him backward a bit. Then he surprised her by taking her hand and twirling her a bit before pulling her into his embrace.

_You're the one that I want_  
_Oo-oo-oo, honey_  
_The one that I want_  
_Oo-oo-oo, honey_  
_The one that I want_  
_Oo-oo-oo, the one I need  
_ _Oh, yes, indeed_

Rachel couldn't stop herself from lunging forward, capturing Finn's lips. She had never felt chemistry like this with a singing partner before. Not with Brody back in school, not with Blaine, even during that short lived crush, and certainly not with Jesse. She didn't know what it meant, but she needed to see if it was more than just singing.

Finn pulled back after a second, breathing hard. Was that from the singing or the kiss? "Wow."

She bit her lip, looking up into his soft brown eyes. "Wow good or wow she's crazy, how do I make my escape?"

Finn chuckled, pushing some of her hair out of her face and cupping her cheek. "Wow as in that was unexpected but I want to do it again...if you do."

Rachel felt her heart flutter at that. "Definitely think it needs a repeat performance." Finn furrowed his brow a little, making her laugh. "Kiss me."

So he did.

* * *

Kurt woke up the next morning feeling surprisingly well rested. A small smile crossed his face as he climbed out of the bed, ready to get his day started before hitting up some of his favorite shops. He had managed to get tickets to a couple shows during his visit, but the first one wasn't until tomorrow. He headed down to the kitchen, turning on the stereo as he passed. As the opening notes from one of his all time favorite musicals started, he grinned.

"Excellent taste, Ms. Berry," he murmured as he pulled out the ingredients for a yogurt bowl. He knew he wanted something protein packed to keep his energy up this morning before he treated himself to some authentic italian - carbs be damned - for lunch.

He was part way through his meal when his favorite started to play and he felt the urge to sing like he hadn't in years. He licked his spoon off, took a sip of his coffee and started to belt along.

_I'm through accepting limits_  
_'Cuz someone says they're so_  
 _Some things I cannot change_  
 _But till I try, I'll never know!_  
 _Too long I've been afraid of_  
 _Losing love I guess I've lost_  
 _Well, if that's love_  
 _It comes at much too high a cost!_

Just as he was about to take the chorus, he noticed his phone moving a little, vibrating on the countertop with the screen facing down. Without thinking he answered it, rushing to the stereo to pause the music.

"Hello?"

_"Well hello, love."_

Kurt froze. Why hadn't he looked at the caller ID first? "A—Adam, hi."

_"Is it okay that I called?"_

_No!_  Kurt sighed, "I suppose." There was awkward silence for a few too many beats. "How are you?"

_"Can we start with a less complicated question?"_  Adam chuckled softly.

"What's up?" Kurt walked over to his yogurt and started to eat again.

_"It's just that I have this charity holiday event to go to…"_  Kurt closed his eyes and took a breath.  _"Do you mind if I text you a few photos of different options? You know how nervous I get for these things and there are going to be some big names there so I want to make a good impression, Kurt."_

"Yeah...that's fine." Why was he doing this to himself?

_"Oh, you are the best, love! Now how's New York? You hit up that little sushi place we found that one time I had to go present at the Tonys yet? You know, the time you got so upset because you got some soy sauce on your scarf?"_

"Hey, it was cashmere!" Adam chuckled and Kurt couldn't stop the smile as he reached again for his food. "I'm surprised you remember that."

_"Of course I—"_  Kurt heard him censor himself.  _"Yeah, be right there E."_  Bile rose in Kurt's throat as he put the bowl in the sink, not wanting to finish it anymore.  _"So I'll send you the pics soon, okay? Thanks Kurt."_

"Mmmhmm." The sound of the line being disconnected brought him back to his surroundings. He suddenly didn't feel like going shopping after all. He walked past the stereo, turning it off, and headed back upstairs to the bed. Maybe he could sleep this pain away.

* * *

Rachel woke up to the feeling of a warmth she hadn't felt before. She'd never felt this content before…

The feeling of the bed shifting made her eyes snap wide open. Turning slowly, she took in the sight of Finn sleeping, his arm wrapped around her torso even tighter. Interesting, she wouldn't have pegged him for a cuddler.

_Why does that matter, Rachel Barbra Berry? You just slept with a stranger!_  Her internal panic started to rise so she carefully slipped out of the bed and went into the bathroom, grabbing some clothes along the way.

Looking in the mirror, she studied her reflection as if she was suddenly going to look or feel dirtier for her one night stand.  _Or was it?_  Sighing, she shook her head of that thought. Putting aside the fact that she hardly knew anything about Finn, she was actually not feeling that guilty about this turn of events.

Probably because it was the best sex she'd ever had.

She couldn't stop the smile that crept up her face as she remembered how well Finn played her body. Even at his best, Jesse had never come close to make her feel that way. Maybe it was the excitement of it all, the thrill of him being a stranger, but whatever it was, it was  _fantastic_.

Hearing a creak from the bed snapped her out of her lust filled haze and she had just a few seconds to decide what she wanted to do. She could A) hop in the shower and either hope that he'd leave or at least delay the likely awkward moment before he runs away from her or B) face him now, try to act casual as they have that awkward goodbye and then cry in the shower.

She looked at herself in the mirror once more and then splashed some water on her face, trying to get a grip. She quickly patted her face dry, making her choice. Better to get this over with so she could get on with her day. She gargled some mouthwash and ran her fingers through her hair before opening the door. When she didn't see Finn, her heart inexplicably sunk. Had he already left? Sighing, she made her way to the kitchen to start a pot of coffee, only to stop short at the sight before her.

"Hi," she squeaked only to silently berate herself for sounding like a teenager again.

Finn turned to face her, still only in his boxers and undershirt, a coffee cup in his hand. "Good morning. Coffee? Kurt's machine is all kinds of fancy but I finally got the hang of it a few months ago."

Rachel smiled. "That'd be great, thanks." He quickly poured her a cup and she took a sip, leaning against the counter. "So…"

"So…" Finn cleared his throat. "Just for the record, your ex is an idiot."

Rachel furrowed her brow. "Excuse me?"

"For ever saying that to you. And for cheating, obviously."

Rachel took a minute to rack her brain. What was he talking about? When had she mentioned Jesse again besides that time before the drinking and singing? And the kissing...oh the kissing...that led to him picking her up, forcing her to wrap her legs around his waist as he made his way down her neck, making her moan…

Blinking rapidly, she took another sip of her coffee to calm herself down. That's when it hit her. Oh.  _Oh_! "So I wasn't…"

Finn set his cup of coffee down and stood in front of her, gently touching her cheek. "You were fantastic. If he didn't enjoy himself, there was something wrong with him, not you."

Heat rushed to her cheeks as she bit her lip to keep from smiling too wide. "You too, by the way."

Finn sent her that crooked smile she was already starting to adore. "Yeah?"

Nodding, she blindly set her coffee cup behind her and ran a hand up his chest. "Yeah. So, um, do—"

The ringing of a cell phone startled them apart. She spotted it on the counter first and picked it up, handing it to him. But not before she saw the name. "Sophie...sorry, I didn't mean to look."

Finn smiled, "Sorry, I better take this." She nodded as he slipped away. "Hi Sweetie…" Rachel watched as he snuck into the bedroom, gently shutting the door behind him.

Sweetie? Oh god, was he involved? Or just a womanizer?

What had she been thinking last night?

Her internal panic didn't get to run on for too long as he soon emerged...dressed. "I hate to do this, but I have to head out."

"Oh, it's fine. It's not like we know each other or anything. You don't owe me any explanation."

Finn frowned. "I wouldn't say we don't know each other; I just have have to run." He grabbed his key from the counter, dumping the rest of his coffee down the sink before he turned back to her. "Rachel, my life is a little complicated, but um, I do like you."

She smiled a little. "I like you too, Finn, but you don't have to worry about me. I'm good, I promise."

He scratched the back of his neck. "Well, I don't know what your plans are while you're in town, but I'm going out with some friends tonight at a nearby karaoke bar. The Brass Monkey. Join us if you want."

Her first instinct was to scream "yes!" but she wasn't so sure about him anymore so she chose to play it cool. "I should probably rest my voice, but maybe. Thanks for the invite."

Finn nodded, sighing. "Okay. Well I guess I'll be seeing you."

She tried to send him a bright smile. "Bye Finn."

He waved at her a little as he shut the door. As it clicked shut she felt pain building in her chest. Why did this seem to hurt more than Jesse?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the great feedback so far! Hope you continue to enjoy this. I'm traveling tomorrow, but I'm hoping to find time to work on chapter 3 anyway so we don't go too long between posts. In case there is a bit of a delay anyway, hope everyone has a great Christmas!
> 
> Songs: "You're the One that I Want" from Grease and "Defying Gravity" from Wicked


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So originally I was going to use an OC for the role of Arthur, but I did like Walter (just not as a romantic partner for Kurt, but a friend/mentor). So I've altered him a LOT to better fit this story, but I think his essence is still there. Technically, this story is taking place around 2023 (when Kurt and Rachel would be 30). I've also aged Walter by 20 years, making him around 78. I'll fill in the rest of his story as we go!
> 
> Finn singing - italics  
> Rachel singing - bold  
> Both singing - italics and bold
> 
> Song used in this chapter is "Last Christmas"

It was past lunch before Kurt had finally made his way out of the brownstone and found some comfort in his favorite stores. After finishing with his last stop, Saks Fifth Avenue, he decided to head back and drop off his bags before going back out for that pasta he had meant to have for lunch. That and a _really_ big glass of wine.

As he climbed out of his taxi, he noticed the older gentleman from yesterday. Only this time he didn't have the nurse. He also seemed to keep looking up at the stairs to the houses, but kept moving down the sidewalk. Kurt frowned as he noticed the man pass his own house. He was quick to approach him.

"Excuse me, sir?"

The older gentleman blinked through his black rimmed glasses, making him look quite distinguished along with his salt and pepper hair. Mostly salt at this point. "Yes young man?" Kurt couldn't help but smile at how kind he seemed even in his apparent confusion.

"Are you lost? Do you need me to help get you home?"

His elder tilted his head. "Why? Do you know where I live?"

Kurt chuckled, "Actually, I do. I noticed you entering your place yesterday." He placed a gentle hand on the man's arm, turning him around and pointing at the right doorway.

A flash of recognition crossed the wrinkled face. Wrinkled, but Kurt noted, still handsome. "Ah, so it is." He turned back to Kurt. "Why thank you." He took slow, careful steps back in that direction.

"You're quite welcome. Do you need some help up the stairs?" The older man turned back and eyed him. "I really don't mind."

A soft smile crossed his face. "Thank you…"

"Kurt," he offered, shifting his bags to his left hand so he could use his right to help him.

"Nice to meet you Kurt, I'm Walter."

Kurt smiled, "You too Walter." They reached the top step and the younger man noticed the slight shake to the older one's hands. "Here, let me." He quickly took the keys from him and unlocked the door.

"I feel like I keep saying thank you," Walter smiled, making Kurt chuckle softly. "Would you like to come in for a cup of coffee? It's the least I could do as a more proper thank you to such a handsome, kind man as yourself."

Kurt blinked. Did he just get hit on by this man? Or was he just being friendly? Maybe a little lonely? "Actually, I was just on my way to dinner after I dropped off my bags. If you don't have any plans, I'd love for you to join me."

Walter raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

Kurt nodded, "Really. I mean, unless you have plans."

Walter chuckled. "I haven't had plans in nearly a decade." He paused and then seemed to study Kurt again. "You aren't a vegan like my neighbor are you? Or following some weird diet fad?"

It was Kurt's turn to laugh, something he really hadn't done in awhile. That also explained Rachel's cupboards. "No, no. I mean, I usually watch what I eat, but I have my mind set on some good italian food and wine."

"Well then what are we doing here?"

Another laugh from the younger man. "Why don't you give me a couple minutes to drop this off and freshen up and then I'll pick you up when our ride is here?"

"It's a date, Kurt." Walter smiled before setting his walker against the table by the entryway and grabbing a much more stylish cane. Kurt watched him for a moment, taking in his very well decorated living space. He noticed photos of Walter with what appeared to be grown kids and grandkids, as well as some photos of just him with another gorgeous man. Sadly, those looked to be from at least a few years ago. Kurt sighed softly at the sight, thinking back to his thoughts from yesterday.

"I'll be back," he offered before closing the front door behind him and heading over to his place. He quickly made his way upstairs to set his bags down. After a few minutes of checking his hair over, changing to a more evening appropriate top and pulling out one of his new scarfs, he was back out the door and calling up an Uber. There was a slight pep in his step and it made him laugh that he seemed to be more excited about dinner with Walter than he had been for anything recently with Adam. That spoke volumes to him.

Walter was soon at the door after Kurt knocked and by the time Kurt had helped him down the stairs, their ride had pulled up. Walter held open the door, "After you Kurt."

* * *

 Kurt just found himself staring at Walter in awe as the older man filled him in on his life story. It was just...remarkable. If he was able to live a life half as rich and worthwhile as the man before him by the same age, he'd consider himself blessed. And he told him so.

"Well, Kurt, you still have a long way to catch up to me, you've got time," Walter smiled, taking a sip of his wine.

Kurt sighed. "I guess. Sometimes I just feel like I'm sleepwalking through life, which is terrifying because I end up buying weird things online when I sleep walk." Walter chuckled a little before taking another bite of his pasta, making Kurt smile. "So you really knew the founder of PFLAG?"

Walter nodded as he chewed, answering when his mouth was clear. "I did. I grew up with Monty actually, so I knew his mom as well. Jeanne was a formabile woman. She wasn't going to let people treat her son any differently just because he was gay, which was quite the uphill climb for the 70s and 80s."

"Still is," Kurt murmured, thinking about how his dad fought for him in high school against the bullying he went through. He offered Walter a smile, "Although better thanks to people like yourself. So thank _you_."

Walter waved his hand dismissively, "I'm a small player in anything. I mean it took me until I was 50 to come out."

Kurt smiled, "But you did, which was brave. Just how did your kids take that, by the way?" Walter had already told him about how he'd married young and eventually had three kids with his wife Rita - two boys and a girl. The couple had been honest with each other after a year of marriage that they were both attracted to the same sex, but given their Catholic upbringings, strict parents, and that it was still very much a taboo idea at the time, they stayed together for twenty-five years. Together _and_ faithful.

Walter leaned back, rubbing his hands together a little. "Well, remember it was us saying we were getting a divorce because we were both gay. So after the very initial shock, my boys surprisingly took it really well. Evidently Sammy had caught my gaze at attractive men from time to time and had wondered for years, but never knew how to bring it up. Their mother was a little more of a surprise; Rita hid it better." Kurt smiled. "My baby, Becca, was only sixteen at the time so it took her a little longer to wrap her mind around. This was also only a few years after Ellen DeGeneres publicly came out and I think she saw that backlash and was worried about us. But she got there. Now my grandkids only know their Pop Pop and G-Ma that way. Well, _knew_ Rita that way."

Kurt frowned and reached across, gently squeezing Walter's hand. "I'm so sorry."

Walter smiled and squeezed back for a second before pulling back. "Thank you. She was still my best friend even after we divorced."

Kurt sighed, "Can I ask how?"

"Breast cancer, 6 years ago last month. Lost Michael to lung cancer in 2015." Kurt frowned, thinking of his mom. But it started to fade as he watched Walter clearly get overtaken with a happy memory. "I get the feeling you two would've gotten along well. He was always impeccably dressed too."

A smile. "Tell me more about him?"

"We met in 2000 at a charity event. He was a set designer for different Broadway productions and I was still just a lawyer, doing what I could to help those in need."

Kurt raised an eyebrow. "Any shows I'd know?"

"A tour of _Chicago_. _Rent_. _Wicked_. _Book of Mormon_ was his last one before he retired."

Kurt's jaw dropped. "Wow. That's amazing!"

Walter's eyes sparkled. "I know. Why he was with me, I'll never understand but I cherished every second of it. Probably none more so than when we got married after it was legally passed in the City."

Kurt felt a tear in his eye and quickly wiped it away. _Marriage_. Why he was in New York had just hit him again like a ton of bricks. He sent Walter a wobbly smile. "Gosh, I'm sorry, don't mind me. Your story is beautiful, Walter. _Really_."

The older man studied him, his eyes narrowing. "And just what is yours, Kurt? What brings you to New York, alone, over the holidays?" Kurt had kept most of their conversation on Walter and not on himself.

Kurt sighed. "A guy. We met a few years ago and I quickly fell hard for him but he evidently didn't feel the same way. He just got engaged…"

"But…"

"But he still 'needs' me for things and I...I can't seem to break away from him," Kurt sighed. "It's pathetic, really. He comes calling and I come running like a lost puppy even though I'm dying inside."

Walter frowned. "Sounds like you don't believe you're really worthy of a true, good love." He paused, "Like Roger from _Rent_."

Kurt furrowed his brow. "What?"

"This guy…"

"Adam," Kurt supplied.

"Adam is like your April, except he isn't dead. But he haunts you anyway. For whatever reason - love, guilt, odd sense of loyalty - you seem to be afraid to break free of him and it's keeping you from finding someone better. To find your Mimi. He may be flawed as well, but he's your perfect fit. But until you break those chains to Adam, you won't find him because you're not _looking_."

Kurt sat there stunned for a full minute. "Wow." Walter smiled, finishing his wine. "Just...wow. Thank you Walter. I've had friends and my dad try to help me figure out why I couldn't leave Adam behind for good, but no one has ever explained it like that before."

"You're welcome. You're too good to be waiting until your fifties to meet your soulmate."

Kurt felt a few more tears fall and quickly wiped them away, embarrassed for being this emotional. "How do I do it, though?"

Walter sighed. "First, you have to figure _why_ you keep letting him back in."

Kurt bit his lip, quickly taking the check when the waiter quietly slipped that on their table. "Guess I have some things to think about, huh?" Walter winked at him, making Kurt smile. "So, why are you here all alone during this holiday?"

"Oh, I won't be, the kids are just scattered across the country, but they always make their way back home. They just won't get in until Christmas Eve." Kurt smiled and nodded. "You're welcome to join us, by the way."

Kurt busied himself with signing the bill and tucking his card away. "I appreciate the offer; I'll let you know." He knew already that he had no intention of crashing Walter's holiday with his family. No, he'd make himself some gourmet meal, video chat with Finn and the kids, and talk with his dad and Carole. He'd be fine alone. He was always _fine_ alone.

"Well tomorrow I have some friends coming over for a get together. It's really just an excuse to talk and drink, but the food is decent for a bunch of old guys. Lots of good stories and laughs. Join us for that? Unless you have other plans?"

Kurt grinned. "Just decent food you say?" Walter nodded. "I can do you one better than. I can host."

* * *

 Rachel sat on the couch, bored. She had gone to the spa today, treating herself to a good massage and mani/pedi, but was now at a lost of what to do with herself. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea; she wasn't so good at being alone. Just having people around her, even if she was in her own little world rehearsing, reading scripts, or running through vocal exercises, was comforting to her.

Brian jumped up on the couch near her and stared at her, like he was challenging her to do something. "What?"

He narrowed his eyes at her and meowed softly. She smiled and petted him for a few minutes, happy to get a faint purr from the feline. Eventually, he meowed again at her and walked off, brushing against a picture frame and knocking it over. Rachel sighed and got up to put it back. That's when she noticed it was of Finn and Kurt, apparently at Kurt's graduation. Her heart started to speed up its rhythm at the sight of the taller brother.

She turned back to the cat, who seemed to almost be smirking at her. "So you're telling me I should go see Finn, huh?" Brian swished his tail and walked off, leaving Rachel shaking her head in his wake. Maybe karaoke wasn't such a bad idea; it could be fun. Plus he said he had friends coming so she wouldn't be alone with him, which might be safer.

Taking a minute to think about it, Rachel finally found Brian again in the hallway to the bedroom. "Okay, you win."

* * *

"Wait, wait, you did _what_?"

Finn sighed, taking a sip of his beer as one of his best friends stared at him. "I know, dude. It just sorta happened. One minute we were singing and the next…"

Sam chuckled, shaking his head. "Wait until Kurt finds out you had sex in his bed. He's going to kill you."

Finn groaned, setting his head on the table with a thud and making their drinks shake a little. "God, I didn't even think about that part."

A snort this time could be heard from Ryder. "Obviously. Was it worth it though?"

Finn lifted his head and his friends could see his eyes glaze over in the memory. "Yeah." The pair shared a smile with each other and the fourth person of their little outing.

"Sugar, you've got it bad, don't you?" Unique commented. "It was just _one_ night."

Finn sighed, "I know but…" He took a sip of his beer, picking at the label. "I haven't felt like this since..."

The group of friends all sighed, thinking about their lost member of their family of choice out in the city of Angels. They were a weird group, but they worked. Unique was the first to recover. "Well, that's great Finn. I hope it works out for you both." She clanked her martini into his bottle. "On that note, I'm about up for my song." She hopped out of her chair, smoothing out her red, shimmering dress. "You coming, Hon?"

Ryder rolled his eyes at his roommate, but stood up anyway. "Yes Peaches," he teased, calling her by her least favorite pet name.

"Oh no you didn't!" Unique huffed, walking off with a laugh to the stage.

Sam shook his head at their behavior before looking back at Finn. "Me too, bro."

Finn smiled a fraction, thankful for their support but not optimistic given Rachel's reaction this morning. The pair started to talk about the Rams chances for the playoffs this year while they waited on their friends to take the stage. That's when he heard a voice by his side.

"Is this seat taken?"

He whipped his head around, breaking out in a large grin. "Rachel, hey!"

The petite brunette beamed at him, relieved by his reaction. "Hello Finn." Her gaze shifted over. "Finn's friend."

The dirty blond smiled wide at her. "Sam. Nice to meet you. And since he's seems be rendered speechless, technically our friend Unique is sitting there but we can pull up another chair and make room."

That seems to snap Finn out of his haze and he jumped up, producing another chair for her while Sam shifted Ryder and Unique's drinks. Rachel slid into the new seat beside him, setting down her wine glass. "Thank you."

Finn smiled back. "Of course. I'm glad you made it." The DJ announced the next performers. "And just in time to see some of my friends preform too," he nodded to the stage.

Rachel nodded, "Great." The trio sat in comfortable silence as they watched the pair sing a duet version of "This is the New Year." It made the broadway star smile at the words; maybe this _would_ be a new year.

"Well, finally a fellow lady at the table. With Mercedes out of town, I was awfully lonely," Unique greeted. Rachel blinked at her before smiling and shaking her offered hand. "Name is Unique, honey."

"Rachel Berry, pleasure to meet you."

Ryder waved, "Ryder. Glad you could join us. How's Kurt's place?"

Rachel raised an eyebrow and looked at Finn. "I may have mentioned meeting the Broadway star staying at my brother's place," he smiled sheepishly. He hoped his friends kept their cool about the other details he mentioned.

"I see," she smiled before turning back to Ryder. "It's lovely. Although I'm not sure about Brian." That got chuckles from the group.

"Yeah, that cat either loves or just tolerates you. Which really means he loves Kurt and not much else," Sam offered.

Rachel nodded as she took a sip of her drink. "So how do you all know each other?"

The group exchanged a glance, particularly with Finn, trying to decide what to reveal. Finn decided to take the lead to help them out. "Well Sam and I work together in the school system. Ryder and I met in college. Unique and I met through other friends and she also sometimes has to appear at the schools."

"Unfortunately," Unique sighed. Rachel furrowed her brows. "I'm a social worker. It's rare my visit is for a good reason."

"Ah." Rachel bit her lip, suddenly remembering she didn't know all that much about Finn to begin with. School system?

Sam seemed to sense it first and took pity on her, changing the subject. "So are we going to get to hear Ms. Berry, Broadway star, sing tonight?"

Finn smiled at that. "I hope so, she's amazing."

Rachel blushed, pushing her hair behind her ear. "Thank you. You're great too."

"Oh...I smell a duet coming!" Unique gushed.

Finn raised an eyebrow, sending her that crooked smile again. "I'm down if you are."

"You pick."

Finn grinned, standing up and offering his hand to Rachel, guiding her to the stage. She smiled wide when he pointed to the song choice. Not traditionally a duet, but could easily be rearranged. She was curious to see how they could handle winging it. A chemistry read, if you will. A way to tell her if last night was just a one time thing because she was determined to feel something after Jesse or if there was more here.

Right before the song started, he leaned in close. "Thought it seemed fitting as a song to sing for the holiday and be a song to dedicate to your ex."

Rachel smiled at that thought before she took the opening line.

**Yeah...Oh….  
Last Christmas, I gave you my heart  
But the very next day you gave it away  
This year, to save me from tears  
I'll give it to someone special**

Their eyes met as she sang 'someone special' but she was quick to turn back to the group at the bar, taking a step forward and turning on her performance even more.

 **Once bitten and twice shy  
I keep my distance  
But you still catch my eye  
Tell me, baby  
Do you recognize me?** _(Oh…)_  
**Well, it's been a year**  
****_**It doesn't surprise me**_

When Finn started to sing along with her she couldn't stop herself from turning toward him, their eyes locking as their voices blended like they were designed to do so.

**_I wrapped it up and sent it_  
With a note saying, "I love you, " I meant it  
Now, I know what a fool I've been  
But if you kissed me now  
I know you'd fool me again**

As the pair continued to sing together, they seemed to lose sight of anyone else around, particularly the three at their table.

 ** _Last Christmas, I gave you my heart  
But the very next day you gave it away  
This year, to save me from tears_**  
**I'll give it to someone special** ( _I'll give it to someone special)_

 ** _A crowded room, friends with tired eyes_  
_I'm hiding from you, and your soul of ice_  
_My god, I thought you were someone to rely on_**  
**Me? I guess I was a shoulder to cry on** _(a shoulder to cry on)_  
**A face on a lover with a fire in his heart**  
**A man undercover but you tore me apart**  
**Now, I've found a real love you'll never fool me again**

Those three met each other's gazes with a mixture of excitement and concern.

Sam sighed. "This could either be really great."

Unique nodded. "Or a disaster."

**_I'll give you my heart..._ **


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again for all the reviews/kudos! For those familiar with the original movie, I’ve tweaked things a little with the Rachel/Finn (Amanda/Graham) storyline because I think it fits the pair a little better.
> 
> Song in this chapter is “Baby, its Cold Outside.”
> 
> Kurt singing - italics  
> Blaine singing - bold  
> Both singing - italics and bold

 Rachel groaned before she even opened her eyes, feeling the pounding behind them. What in the world did she drink last night? She remembered accepting a shot or two after their amazing duet. She remembered singing “Don’t Rain on my Parade,” a karaoke requirement for her, and even a song with Unique. And another shot?

“Oh my head…”

A soft chuckle forced her to open her eyes just a crack. That’s when she spotted Finn standing by the bed, holding a large glass of water, a pill bottle, and a cup of coffee. He was also only in his boxers and undershirt, just like yesterday. Oh god, did they sleep together again? ‘Cause if they did, she doesn’t remember it…

“Here,” he offered her the glass of water, setting down the coffee. He then opened the pill bottle and handed her two tablets. “Drink all that water and then you can have some coffee.”

She did as instructed and then reached for the coffee, sending him a small smile. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” Finn replied.

She took another sip before finally asking the question she was worried about. “We didn’t, um…”

Finn’s eyes widened for a second and then shook his head. “No, no. You were, um, pretty tipsy when we left the bar last night so I helped you get home.”

“And you stayed?” she questioned, nursing more of the coffee.

Finn smiled, “You asked me to.”

Rachel blinked, recalling babbling something about sleeping better in his arms. Oh _god_ … “Yeah, yeah I did.” She blushed and reached for his hand, giving it a squeeze. “Thank you.”

Finn nodded, “You’re welcome.” They smiled at each other. “What would—“ His ringing phone stopped him. As he reached for it, she saw the name again. This time it was Jamie. “I’ll be right back,” he told her, standing up. “You’re up early,” he greeted with a lightness in his voice.

Rachel sighed as she watched him leave, finishing the coffee. Another female he seemed quite familiar with. Was she just a notch on his bedpost? She couldn’t help but feel that wasn’t the case though. He didn’t give off the vibe of a player. Jesse gave off that vibe more than Finn, which said something to her. There _did_ seem to be something he and the others were hiding last night though…

“So,” Finn greeted, coming back into the room. “I’m thinking we should get some breakfast and then I should take you around to see some of the LA sights. What do you think?”

Rachel bit her lip. “Like a date?”

“Yeah,” Finn smiled, tucking some of her hair behind her ear. “Like a date.”

“You don’t have somewhere else you need to be?” She questioned again.

“I’ve got a family thing tonight, but I’m free from now until then,” he answered. “What do you say?”

Family thing? Rachel couldn’t get herself to voice that question though. Instead, she simply said, “Okay.”

* * *

Kurt smiled to himself as he headed into the theater, ready to see a matinee showing of a revival of _Rent_. The irony wasn’t lost on him that this was the first show he’d gotten tickets to. He’d actually had an evening ticket, but with the plans with Walter and his friends tonight he’d called the box office and had been able to switch. He was just about to pick up his ticket at the box office when he heard his voice.

“Kurt?”

Spinning around, he smiled. “Blaine, hi.”

The slightly shorter man smiled wide at him, coming to a stop beside him. “Fancy meeting you here. Enjoying the city so far?” Before Kurt could answer, Blaine leaned a little closer, touching his scarf. “Oh, is this new? It’s lovely and really brings out your eyes.”

The costume designer couldn’t help but preen a little at that. “Yes, yes and thank you.” Blaine chuckled a little. “What are you doing here? Where’s the boyfriend?”

“Chicago on work, sadly. So I decided to treat myself to one of my favorite shows. I basically think of _Rent_ as a Christmas movie or show so it seemed appropriate,” Blaine answered. Kurt nodded in understanding. “You? Why a matinee?”

“Oh, I had originally planned for the show tonight but ended up with dinner plans. Luckily I was able to change my ticket so here I am,” Kurt answered before glancing at his phone to pull up his will call information. “We should probably get in there.”

Blaine nodded, plucking the phone from Kurt’s hand and walking up to the box office. “Hey Sarah.”

“Blaine, why did you take my phone?” Kurt asked but was ignored.

Sarah looked at the two of them and smiled at her friend. “Hey, Merry Christmas Blaine.”

“Merry Christmas to you too. Give Megan a kiss for me okay? Listen, you have a will call ticket for a Kurt Hummel with this reservation number, right?” He showed her the phone.

“Blaine?” Kurt questioned again. Again ignored.

“Sure do.” She looked up and met her friend’s eyes. “I’m guessing you want me to convert that to a box seat next to you Mr. Tony Nominee?” Blaine flashed a smile and nodded. A few keystrokes and two tickets were being printed. “All done.” She tore them, handing Blaine the stubs. “I’m assuming you can show Mr. Hummel to his seat?”

Blaine winked, “Of course. Thanks Sarah, you’re the best.” Then he finally turned back to Kurt, handing him his phone. “Come on Kurt, gotta get to our seats before it starts.”

Kurt gawked at this man for a few seconds before catching up with him. He didn’t know where to start. “That was unnecessary but thank you.”

Blaine smiled at him as they headed to their seats. “It’s nothing. It didn’t make any sense for us to be both here and not sit together and I knew that the box I usually get tickets in wasn’t full based on when I called earlier.”

Kurt nodded, “Well, still, thank you, Mr. Tony Nominee.” Blaine blushed as they found their spots. Kurt didn’t notice, gasping a little at their seats. “Wow, this is _so_ much better than where I was going to be watching from.”

“Glad you like it.” Both of them worked to take off their coats. “It’s nice to have someone to watch this with anyway.”

Kurt furrowed his brow. “Sebastian doesn’t go with you?”

Blaine shrugged. “Theatre is not really his thing.”

Kurt gaped. “How does that work if you’re on Broadway?”

“We have other things in common,” Blaine brushed off and Kurt didn’t push. After a second, the shorter one changed the topic. “So dinner plans? Do you have other friends in the city?”

Kurt shook his head. “It’s with Rachel’s neighbor and his friends.” Kurt chuckled at Blaine’s surprised face. “You want to join us? I guarantee it will be fun and I’m cooking so the food will be good.”

Blaine smiled back at him just as the lights dimmed, signaling the show was about to start. “Sounds great.”

* * *

Rachel smiled as Finn gave her a tour along a local boardwalk, pointing out things, playing games with her - even winning her a stuffed bear with a gold star on its chest - and overall just making her laugh and smile all day. They mostly talked about inconsequential things, but now that they were sitting down to each a late lunch she was ready to ask some more questions.

“So I know Kurt does costume design from Mercedes and that she helps him while still pursuing singing,” Rachel started, getting a nod from Finn. “What about you? If you started out chasing the dream for music, what do you do now?”

Finn smiled. “I teach. I’m a middle school music teacher. I also co-teach our special education classes and help out with a high school’s glee club after hours.”

Rachel beamed, “That’s great! So Sam does…”

“He’s a PE teacher and assistant football coach for the high school.”

“And why Unique visiting isn’t usually a good thing,” she finished, getting a nod. “Well, that’s fantastic Finn. The arts are _so_ important and I’m sure the area of the city that you work in isn’t the most wealthy, making it even more difficult for the students to get proper access. I applaud you for taking that on as your vocation.”

“Vacation?”

Rachel chuckled. “No, vocation. You’re life’s work. It takes a special kind of person to be a teacher; to shape young souls for the better.”

Finn smiled, “Thanks. You’re really smart, you know that?” Rachel blushed, “And funny, talented, beaut—“ Rachel cut him off with a kiss. “And a really good kisser,” he added with a slight gasp for air when she pulled back.

“You too,” she laughed. “And handsome, sweet, talented…” She kissed him again and he pulled her close. “Do you want to go back to my place for a bit?”

Finn sighed, glancing at his watch. “I want to, you know have no idea, but I can’t.”

The rejection was like getting water thrown in her face. That was when she remembered his evening plans. “Right. _Family_ things.” Finn nodded. “Funny, considering your brother is in New York and you already mentioned your parents being back in Ohio.”

Finn swallowed, “You’re right.” He paused for a second, debating. Finally, he seemed to dive in. “Listen, Rach, remember when I said my life was complicated? Well the truth is—“

Then his phone rang.

Rachel could hardly contain her frustration as he sighed and answered. “Hey Millie, I’ll—“ Rachel watched as his whole demeanor changed. “Yeah, yeah, I’ll be home in a few minutes. It’s okay, Mil.” He hung up and tossed money on the table. “I’m so sorry Rachel, but I’ve got to go. I’ve got…” He was pale and shaky.

In that moment, Rachel made a decision. “Give me your keys, you’re not safe to drive.”

“I...okay,” Finn answered, surprising both of them. He was too frazzled by the call to think about what he was doing. She was too concerned about him to realize she didn’t have a clue of what she was walking into either.

* * *

Kurt smiled wide as they finished up an incredible dinner and conversation. It had basically been non-stop since they had arrived, regaling the two younger men with stories about like the AIDS epidemic, fashion events in the city, and the evolution of the Pride Parade. Blaine had fitted right in the group and Kurt could quickly see him becoming a good friend.

“So, Blaine, you’re fantastic in _She Loves Me_ ,” Seth commented, making the younger man blush. “How do you feel about putting on a show for a bunch of old fogeys, huh?”

Blaine chuckled, “I don’t know.” He shot a glance at Kurt. “Maybe if I had a duet partner…”

Kurt raised an eyebrow. “What makes you so sure I can sing Mr. Anderson?”

“Because I could hear you humming along to some of the songs this afternoon, Mr. Hummel.”

Kurt rolled his eyes, “Fine. What do you have in mind?”

“I just so happen to know that Rachel has a playlist of karaoke versions of Christmas songs,” he replied, heading over to her stereo and pulling up her Spotify account because of course he knew her log in. He pushed shuffle, smiling at the first song that started. Kurt smiled and took the first line, standing up.

_I really can't stay_ **(but baby, it's cold outside)**

Blaine was fortunate that he was such a professional or he would’ve missed his queue, taking in the beauty of Kurt’s voice.

_I've got to go away_ **(but baby, it's cold outside)**  
_This evening has been_ **(been hoping that you'd drop in)**  
_So very nice_ **(I'll hold your hands, they're just like ice)**  
_My mother will start to worry_ **(beautiful what's your hurry?)**  
_My father will be pacing the floor_ **(listen to the fireplace roar)**  
_So really I'd better scurry_ **(beautiful please don't hurry)**  
_But maybe just a half a drink more_ **(put some records on while I pour)**

Both got so engrossed with the performance - Kurt playfully running away from Blaine at times and others coming in closer; Blaine giving chase when appropriate - that they completely forgot about the others there. Walter exchanged a look with his friends, a small smile appearing on his face. Perhaps Kurt’s Mimi was a lot closer than they thought. Hopefully they would both see that soon.

_I've gotta get home_ **(but baby, you'd freeze out there)**  
_Say lend me a coat_ **(it's up to your knees out there)**  
_You've really been grand_ **(I thrill when you touch my hand)**  
_But don't you see?_ **(how can you do this thing to me?)**  
_There's bound to be talk tomorrow_ **(think of my lifelong sorrow)**  
_At least there will be plenty implied_ **(if you got pneumonia and died)**  
_I really can't stay_ **(get over that hold out)**

**_Oh, Baby, it's cold outside!_ **

The pair grinned at each other as another song started. “You, Mr. Hummel, should be on the stage with me. You have an _amazing_ voice,” Blaine complemented. “What’s your range?”

Kurt blushed, “Thank you and I’m a countertenor.” Blaine’s eyes widened, making Kurt smirk. “I can see why you’re a nominee, Mr. Anderson.”

Clapping and whistles from the rest brought the pair back. “That was fantastic!” Lewis chuckled. “I would pay money to see that on stage. Your voices blend _really_ well together.”

Blaine nodded, “Dare I say, better than with Rachel’s.” Kurt raised an eyebrow. “Just don’t tell her that.”

That got a laugh from everyone, “Your secret is safe with us as long as you two sing one more song together,” Walter commented. Kurt shot a glance at the grin on Walter’s face before turning back to Blaine, agreeing to the idea. When the opening notes of “White Christmas” started, the pair started up again. This time Kurt showed off more of his range, further impressing the group.

Just as Kurt was going to comment about singing a third song, Blaine’s phone rang. “Oh, excuse me. Hey Bas…” He stepped out of the room, not noticing all the eyes watching him go.

“Who’s that?” Seth asked.

“His boyfriend,” Kurt answered with a slight sigh, picking up some dishes to take into the kitchen to clean up. A sigh that he didn’t even know had escaped. The older men followed him, each bringing a dish, if not more, depending on their cane status.

“You mean you two…” Lewis asked.

Kurt chuckled. “No, no. We only met a few days ago when I arrived in the city. He’s Rachel’s costar and friend; the woman’s house your in.”

“Hmm,” murmured Clark, the quieter one of the group. “You two have natural chemistry together.”

Kurt opened his mouth to answer, but Walter cut him off. “Do you have containers to take some of this food home? It was outstanding.” Kurt nodded and by the time the elder gentlemen all had a to go container, Blaine reappeared.

“Oh, Kurt, you should let me clean up, you did all the cooking.”

Walter smiled, “Well, you don’t have to convince us to leave you two young ones to do that work.” The others all agreed and were soon out the door, Kurt seeing them out. When he returned to the kitchen, Blaine was in the middle of rinsing dishes and stacking them in the dishwasher. When he heard Kurt returning, he looked up and smiled.

“Thank you so much for the invite tonight, Kurt. I knew Walter was a nice guy, but I hadn’t really gotten to know him before now. That whole group - their stories - are _remarkable_ ,” Blaine gushed.

Kurt smiled, appearing next to him to help the curly haired man finish getting the dishes into the washer. “You are most welcome. I think we’re even after that seat upgrade at _Rent_.” Blaine shrugged. “And I know. Did you know he was actually there for the Stonewall riots? While still living his life as a straight man? It’s insane to think about sometimes.”

“Seth was telling me more about that,” Blaine sighed. “I know the world’s not perfect by any stretch, I mean my high school existence can attest to that…”

“Mine too,” Kurt added, making the other frown a little.

“But, when you think about how far we’ve come from that starting point, it makes me hopeful,” Blaine finished.

“Me too,” Kurt mirrored from moments earlier. The pair shared a smile again before going back to silence as they finish the dishes. “Thanks for the help.”

Blaine dried his hands off, “It’s the least I could do after that meal.” Kurt smiled as he escorted him to the door. “Hey, you want to do something tomorrow? Coffee?” Blaine slipped his coat on, wrapping a scarf around his neck.

Kurt smiled, “Sure.”

“Great,” Blaine smiled back. “Thanks for tonight.” Without thinking, he leaned forward and placed the faintest of kisses on Kurt’s cheek.

“Go—good night,” Kurt stumbled, surprised by the contact.

Coming to his senses, Blaine stepped back, but still kept the smile in place. “Good night Kurt.”

* * *

When Rachel finally pulled to a stop from the directions Finn gave her, the man jumped out of his car and ran inside the small house. Rachel, however, was frozen taking in her surroundings. They had pulled into a quant suburb, which was _not_ at all where she expected to go. There were cute Christmas decorations in the yard, just starting to light up, obviously on a timer. Why would a single guy live in the burbs? She expected him to be in an apartment like Kurt.

Shaking her head, she finally got out of the car and slowly made her way up the sidewalk that led to the front door. Should she enter? She noticed that it was cracked open, apparently not shut all the way from Finn’s entrance.

“Finn?”

She knocked on the door, it moving further open. Biting her lip, she slowly entered the house to overhear part of a conversation.

“Sorry if I scared you, Finn. He really is okay, he just got scared when he fell and couldn’t seem to calm down until I said you’d come home.” Rachel heard an older woman say, or at least she assumed, not yet seeing the person speaking.

“It’s okay, Millie, really,” she heard Finn say. As she came around the corner, she found Finn kneeling down in what appeared to be his living room, his arms around a small boy. Another child, a girl with her brown hair pulled back into pigtails, stood nearby with an older, heavy set woman. Finn pulled back, cupping the boy’s cheek and looking him up and down. “You okay, buddy?”

The little boy sniffed, but nodded. “Yeah.” His eyes shifted, seeing Rachel and making her freeze. “Who’s that?”

Rachel felt like a deer in headlights as everyone turned to face her. “Um, hi.”

Finn stood up, running a hand over the back of his head. “This is my friend, Miss Rachel.” She sent the group a small smile, wondering just exactly what was going on. “Rachel, this is my son Jamie, my daughter Sophie, and my—“

“Millie,” the older woman interjected, sticking her hand out to Rachel, which she shook. “Nice to meet you.”

“You too.” She looked down at the two curious faces looking up at her. “Nice to meet you too…” Suddenly the names connected, “Sophie and Jamie.” It also really sank in just _how_ he introduced them.

“Kids, why don’t we get a snack and leave your dad and Rachel to talk for a minute?” Millie commented. The kids moaned a little but nodded and followed her out of the room. It was barely a second after kids had left them that Finn was apologizing.

“Rachel, I’m so sorr—“

“Are you married?!” she hissed quietly. Finn’s eyes widened, quickly shaking his head. “Divorced?” This time her voice was softer.

Finn sighed, “Widowed.”

The anger she was feeling about him hiding this from he was fading. “Oh. _Oh_ , Finn…”

He looked towards the kitchen, deciding on just what to say. Unfortunately (or fortunately) for both of them, they were interrupted by the sound of small feet running back in.

“Daddy, can Miss Rachel stay for musical night?”

The adults looked down to see Sophie standing in the doorway, slowly making her way to her dad’s side. He took her hand and she smiled sweetly up at him. Rachel took a moment to take in her adorable pink top and purple and black striped leggings. She seemed to have Finn’s chocolate eyes too.

“I don’t know, sweetie…” Finn started, assuming Rachel couldn’t or wouldn’t want to stay.

Rachel, however, was hooked at the word musical. “I would love to if your brother doesn’t mind. I don’t want to intrude.”

Sophie shook her head quickly, her pigtails swinging as they did. “Jamie!” she hollered, running back out of the room. “Miss Rachel said she could stay!”

Finn sent her a small, lopsided smile - the one that made her heart race. “You really don’t have to.” Yet she could see the hope in his warm eyes.

“I really want to Finn. I just—“

“We’re ready!” hollered Jamie, clearly feeling back to normal.

Finn just smiled and waved his arm, gesturing for her to head into the other room. Rachel sent him a small smile and walked past him into the room, gasping at what she saw. In the family room, there was large, makeshift tent. It seemed to be made up with different blankets, all tied up to a point in the center. Pillows and blankets all lined the floor, along with some stuffed animals. There were different colored stars, including gold, that were hanging at different heights. Towards the back of the tent was a small projector screen. Millie had clearly made them some snacks of popcorn, sliced apples and some juice boxes.

“This is _amazing_!” she gushed, letting Sophie and Jamie pull her hands and into the tent, sitting down on a pillow. “Did you guys build this?”

“Yeah!” Jamie nodded, “Well, Unca Kurt helped too.”

“Really? What did he help with?” Rachel asked.

Sophie pointed to the stars. “He helped us with the stars.”

“And choosing the order of the blankets so that they matched or something, right?” Finn added from behind them. The trio turned to face him. “Kids, say goodnight to Meemaw.”

The little ones hopped up and hugged Millie goodbye. Then so did Finn. “Thanks again for watching them this weekend.”

The older woman put a hand on Finn’s cheek. “Anything for my babies, you know that.” She shot a glance at Rachel real quick, “And for you.” Finn blushed a little. “Nice to meet you Rachel.”

“You too, Millie. Good night.” After a few moments, Finn was settled into the tent and starting the movie on the projector. The group took a few minutes to get settled on their stomachs and pillows. Finn and Rachel were next to each other in the middle, Sophia was next to Finn and Jamie was next to Rachel.

“So what are we watching?” Rachel asked.

“Mary Poppins!” The kids cheered.

Rachel chuckled a little at their enthusiasm. “I love that one. Julie Andrews is a goddess.”

“It was Mommy’s favorite too,” Sophie murmured. Finn sighed a little, pulling the girl closer to his side and kissing the top of her head. When he met Rachel’s gaze, she sent him a small smile.

As the movie started, the group exchanged small comments over different scenes. Rachel giggled, surprising herself when she started to sing softly along with “A Spoonful of Sugar,” getting wide smiles from all the Hudson clan.

“You sing pretty,” Jamie sighed softly, leaning into Rachel’s side.

“Thank you,” she smiled back. When she glanced at Finn, she saw him exchanging another glance with Sophie, bopping her on her nose and getting a small giggle from the girl.

It was different, but cute, seeing this side of him. But it also didn’t keep her head from swimming in thoughts. _Widowed_? For how long? Was he even in a head space to date? ... _DATE_? Is that what they were even doing? Was she the head space to date herself? They lived on opposite coasts so how would anything work?

Wait, wait, _wait_...just what was she thinking right now?

The brunette was so in her own little world that she didn’t notice the kids fall asleep about a half hour later or that Finn was watching her increasing furrowed brow.

“Rach?” he whispered, snapping her out of her spiraling thoughts. She shifted and met his gaze. “Wanna talk for a bit…” he gestured to the other room. “Out there?”

She bit her lip. “Yes please.” The pair slowly extracted themselves from the kids and went into the kitchen. There was a long, awkward pause as they stood around the kitchen island. “So…”

“Look, Rachel, I was going to tell you about all this…” he waved his arms at the whole house, “today at lunch before I got the call from Millie about Jamie.”

“What happened, by the way?”

Finn sighed. “He fell off the swing. He didn’t really hurt anything, thank god, but it scared him. And me, I guess.” He leaned against his counter, running a hand through his hair.

Rachel moved slowly until she was opposite him. “Tell me about her?”

A wistful smile crossed his face. “Her name was Marley. We met in college although we actually went to high school together.” Rachel raised an eyebrow, curious. “She was a few years younger than me and I was dating a cheerleader...well, I guess you’d say on/off for most of it. Anyway, I broke up with Quinn when she tried to keep me from pursuing music as my career during our senior year, back when Marley was a sophomore. We ended up running into each other out here and we just meshed. We got married towards the end of college.”

“And the kids?”

“They were a bit of a _surprise_ , particularly having twins, but they were the greatest gifts,” Finn smiled.

“How old are they?” Rachel asked.

“Six.”

“Well they are adorable.” She smiled, reaching over and squeezing his hand.

Finn smiled back. “Thanks. They really like you.” His smile faltered. “Which makes this messy…”

Rachel frowned, “I suppose it does. Is that…”

“Why I hadn’t told you from the beginning?” Rachel nodded. “Yeah. Even though it’s been two years since…” Finn sighed. “It’s still like really hard to mix dating into this, so I really don’t. I might hook up with someone once in a while, but I rarely date because I’m scared to think about what someone else might do to us.”

“I see.” Rachel sighed and ran a hand through her hair, breaking their contact. “And with me going back to New York in a little over a week…”

Finn nodded, “Yeah.” He took a step forward and hand running up her arm until it rested on her neck. “I really like you, but this is…”

“Complicated?”

Finn nodded again, slowly creeping closer to her. “Yeah.”

Rachel found herself closing the gap, kissing him softly and feeling tingles run up and down her spine. Unfortunately, after a few bliss filled moments, reality caught up with her and she pulled back. “Finn, I don’t know if this is a good idea.”

The taller man groaned softly but nodded in agreement. “Probably not.”

She took a few steps back, putting distance between them. “I think...I think I better go.” Biting her lip she closed the gap once more, this time only kissing his cheek. “Thank you for a lovely day Finn.”

With that, she walked out of the house and possibly out of the Hudson family’s lives for good.

This vacation had certainly taken an unexpected turn.


	5. Chapter 5

Kurt exited the brownstone just as the mail carrier was stopping by so he went back inside, dropping off Rachel's mail. Then he detoured from going to meet Blaine to take Walter his mail.

Walter soon greeted him, his walker in front of him, "Hello young man."

"Hello old man," Kurt teased back, getting a chuckle from his senior as he was let in. "I just brought you your mail since I was going out." Walter nodded, allowing Kurt to follow him into his kitchen. Kurt then watched Walter roll his eyes at a large envelope and toss it towards his trash can, only to miss.

"You don't want to read that?" Kurt had noticed the embossed GMHC logo in the corner when he'd grabbed it.

"Nah, it's just some silly dinner that I don't feel like attending," Walter answered, looking at the other items.

Kurt bent down and picked it up, "May I?" Walter shrugged, allowing Kurt to look over the document. It was an invite to a dinner in a few days that was honoring several members of the community that had a big impact on the gay community in New York. Walter was one of the honorees for all his free legal aid he'd done over the years for people trying to fight for their rights like wrongful termination, discrimination, and medical issues from denied coverage. It certainly seemed to be a bigger deal than Walter explained.

"Walter, this is a huge honor. Why wouldn't you want to go?"

The older man sighed, "For one, I don't deserve to be on that list with the others." Kurt raised an eyebrow, skeptical. "I haven't been to one of those events since Michael…" Walter sighed. "I don't want to go with this walker either."

Kurt reached over, putting his hand on Walter's arm. "Okay, first of all, you _do_ deserve this. Secondly, I could help you do a few exercises so you can spend most of the night without a cane, but we can get you a fancy one that looks more like a fashion statement than a necessity." Then Kurt smirked, "And I can go as your date, help show you off."

Walter smiled, "I'd take you proudly, Kurt."

"Of course you would, I'm a catch," the young man teased.

Walter reached over, squeezing Kurt's hand. "You are." The pair exchanged a meaningful look and Kurt nodded. He was working on trying to feel that way. "Now, what are these exercises?"

Kurt grinned.

* * *

Rachel sat on the couch, staring at Brian again.

"No. I'm not calling him."

The cat glared at her. "Look, yes, he's a great guy, but he's got a family and I don't think I can take that on. And I really don't do casual."

Brian twitched his tail.

"Okay, so I slept with him that first night, but that was just a fluke." Another tail twitch from the feline before he walked off, making Rachel sigh in frustration. She needed to find some way to distract her thoughts about Finn.

Funny, this trip was supposed to be for her to forget about Jesse.

Well, she'd accomplished _that_ at least.

Huffing, she jumped off the couch and changed into her workout clothes. Maybe some yoga would help clear her mind.

* * *

"Hey there," Blaine greeted, meeting Kurt at a local, non-chain coffee shop. Blaine had insisted they meet a shop that was closer to Kurt's - or Rachel's - place.

Kurt waved as he closed the distance, "Hello." Blaine opened the door and gestured for Kurt to enter. "Why thank you."

"Of course," Blaine smiled. "So how are you today?" The pair entered the queue waiting to order.

"Well I landed myself a date for the 29th," Kurt started.

Blaine raised an eyebrow as they took a step closer. "In the time I left last night to now? Nice work, Mr. Hummel. Meet someone out shopping this morning already?"

Kurt chuckled. "No. It's Walter. He has a fancy dinner from the GMHC, honoring his work. I'm going to help him with some rehab over the next few days and then be his arm candy."

"Oh, jealous," Blaine teased before smiling at the barista. "Medium Drip please."

"Oh, on me," Kurt interjected, "and I'll take a Grande nonfat mocha please." Kurt paid and the pair moved to wait to pick up their coffees. "So you're jealous, huh?"

Blaine chuckled, "Of course. Although maybe I can cut in and steal him for a dance." Kurt raised his eyebrow. "I'm going to that event myself." They both smiled as they collected their drinks before heading to a table. "You need some help with the rehab? Or at least access to my gym?"

"I thought you'd never ask, Mr. Anderson."

* * *

Kurt was just entering the house two days later after another good workout with Walter and Blaine when his phone rang. He glanced down and grinned. "Cedes!"

"Hey Boo!" Her face filling up his phone screen. "How's New York?"

"It's good. I've made some new friends, gone to a few shows, done tons of shopping…" He got settled on the couch, stabilizing his picture for her. He could see the bright sun and clear water behind her. "You look like you're having a fun time." She had a flower in her hair.

Mercedes smiled, "It's been a good trip. Sad it's ending in a few days, but at least I'll be able to bring in the New Year with you back in LA!"

Kurt opened his mouth to answer her when he had another call come through. "Oh, hold on, Finn's calling. Let me see if we can do a three-way video chat." After a few clicks, he was now looking at his best friend and his brother. "Hey Finn, you've got Mercedes and me."

"Oh, cool. Hey dude, hey Mercedes."

"Hey Finn!" Mercedes greeted.

"Don't call me, dude," Kurt rolled his eyes. "How are you doing? How are my babies?"

Finn sent the pair a lopsided smile. "They are good, excited for Christmas, like you'd expect. How are you two doing with your trips? Way to tell me about that, by the way Bro."

Kurt rolled his eyes, "Hey, I called you, you just didn't pick up. And I was just telling Cedes that I'd made some good friends," He paused, building up the suspense a little. "And I've met a really great guy."

"What?"

"Oh, Boo! Tell us more!"

Kurt smiled, " _Well_ , he's very smart and charming, loves theatre and he makes me smile and laugh, which is a great change," Mercedes squealed and Finn smiled. "And it's nearly 80 years old."

"Dude!"

"Kurt?"

Laughter this time. "It's my neighbor...well, Rachel's neighbor. He's just a friend, you two."

"Not cool," Finn grumbled.

Mercedes rolled her eyes, "Really Kurt?" Kurt continued to laugh. "Speaking of Rachel though, Finn can you check in on her and make sure she's doing okay?"

The tallest of the group bit his lip and scratched the back of his neck. "Um, I can...but she was fine last I saw her."

Kurt watched as Mercedes narrowed her eyes. They could both read that body language well. "Oh _hell_ to the no, Finn Hudson. Did you sleep with her?" Finn looked down. "The _one_ thing she asked me about was guys stopping by Kurt's place and I told her she didn't worry about it because I figured only Adam might try to show up at his place and then _you_ show up and immediately get her into bed?!"

"It wasn't like that!" Finn exclaimed before running his hand over his eyes and groaning. "I like her, guys, and don't know what to do…"

Kurt and Mercedes exchanged a look and frowned, the former speaking. "Finn…" Suddenly, there were two young voices in the house.

Finn shrugged, wiping his eyes quickly. "I better go. See you both soon." Mercedes waved goodbye, letting the brothers talk a little more. "Love you bro."

Kurt smiled, "Love you bro. Talk to you on Christmas?" Finn nodded as they hung up. For his part, Kurt sighed and leaned back on the couch. Sounded like relationship turmoil was going around the Hudmel family.

* * *

“Good afternoon!"

Kurt looked up at the sound of the greeting, smiling at Blaine as he headed toward him. The pair were meeting again at the same coffee shop from a few days prior. Kurt had beat him there by a few minutes and had grabbed a table.

"Hey, Merry Christmas Eve!" Kurt greeted with a small smile. He started to stand to go with Blaine to get a drink.

"No, don't get up, I'll get your drink," Blaine insisted, untying his scarf and coat, draping them over a chair opposite of Kurt before heading off, not even asking Kurt what he wanted.

Kurt shook his head, still grinning. How does he remember my coffee order? He was really loving Blaine's personality. He was so kind, fun, and a little flirty. Not to mention he dressed in a really cute way. He could see him being a great friend even after he went back to LA and maybe even a shopping buddy for the rest of the time here. Kurt still needed to take Walter out to find him a new suit for the party. His thoughts were so full of happier things that he didn't think twice about checking his text messages when he saw his screen light up.

Then his smile faded.

There, all bright and colorful on his screen, was Adam in three different outfits. The British actor had finally gotten around to sending those messages. To make matters worse, they were selfies in the mirror so he was being all flirty with his faces and poses too. Adam _knew_ that look made Kurt's knees weak. He knew it and he _still_ used it.

It drove Kurt mad.

"One Grande nonfat mocha for Mr. Hummel," Blaine stated, sliding into his seat as he set their drinks down. He also set down a small plate with a few Christmas cookies on them. "And some cookies to share with me because it's Christmas Eve and everyone deserves some sweets, calories be damned." Kurt looked up from his phone and Blaine's smile immediately fell. "What's wrong?"

Kurt sighed, "Nothing." Blaine raised an eyebrow. "Well, something, but I'd rather not think about it right now if that's okay."

Blaine nodded, breaking one of the cookies into a few pieces before pushing the plate towards Kurt. "Sure."

Kurt took a quick sip of his coffee, grateful that Blaine was willing to let it go. "So what's it like being on stage? I wanted to do that myself back in high school."

Blaine's face lit up, enjoying talking about what he loved to do. "It's so invigorating. There is nothing quite like a live performance, feeding off the energy from the crowd. Even when I make a mistake, I use their good vibes to shake it off and move forward."

Kurt raised an eyebrow, "Mistakes? Why do I get the feeling that that doesn't happen very often?"

Blaine blushed a little. "Well, I suppose not, but...are you familiar with the role?" Kurt nodded. "So there's lots of aerobic movies…"

"Like the cartwheel?"

"Yes!" Blaine responded, "Like the cartwheel. And sometimes I lose my hat or the scarf gets tangled so sometimes the move doesn't come across as smooth."

"But he's excited and in love, he doesn't need to be smooth. I actually love the fact that Georg is a little bit...adorkable." Kurt smirked when Blaine blushed again. "Why do I get the feeling that's a word used to describe you sometimes too?" He took a sip of his coffee as Blaine chuckled.

"At times. Particularly in high school with my bow ties and grand gestures," Blaine answered.

Kurt leaned forward a bit, "Well, for one, I think you'd look good in more bow ties." He reached over and gently tugged on the collared shirt sticking out of the cardigan he was wearing over top.

"Really? Bas told me I looked ridiculous."

Kurt shook his head. "Not everyone can pull them off, but I think you can. It suits you, trust me."

"Oh I'll take fashion advice from anyone that pulls off your outfits," Blaine gestured to Kurt's skinny jeans, lace up boots, long sleeve shirt with a vest and his new scarf. In other words, he looked gorgeous.

Kurt's smile grew. "As you should...but thank you." They shared a smile again, each eating a bit more of the cookie. "And secondly, _please_ do tell about these grand gestures."

Blaine chuckled, scratching the back of his head. "Well, let's just say…" His eyes shifted from Kurt's face for a second, past him—outside. "What?"

Kurt furrowed his brow and spun around to see what had grabbed Blaine's attention. There, outside the shop, was Sebastian with his arms wrapped around the waist another man...kissing. Kurt frowned and quickly turned back to Blaine, only to not find him there. He heard the bell at the door ring before he saw Blaine run outside without his coat to confront his boyfriend.

Kurt's heart was hurting for Blaine. He knew this feeling all _too_ well and Blaine was _too_ good, _too_ kind to have to go through this.

He watched as Blaine gestured widely while arguing with Sebastian for a few moments before the latter turned away with the other man's hand still in his and Blaine seemed to shrink within himself as he slowly make his way back into the shop. Numbly, he took his seat again.

Kurt sighed and reached over, putting his hand over Blaine's. He cringed a little at how cold they are. "Blaine, I…"

Blaine finally looked up at Kurt, his eyes shimmering with unshed tears. It made Kurt's heart break. In that moment, he made a decision. "Okay, get your coat back on. We need something more than coffee."

Blaine blinked, but nodded and got bundled up. Kurt did the same before pulling the shorter man into a quick hug and escorting him out of the coffee shop, back towards his place.

* * *

Rachel paid for her Thai food order, thanking the delivery guy before returning to the couch. She'd spent the Christmas Eve holiday so far curled up watching Lifetime movies and running scales. Anything to keep her from thinking about Finn.

Not that it was working.

Sighing, she took a bite of her Pad Thai. She'd only known him for a few days, but she could already tell that she felt something the music teacher. It was like she was drawn to him. But how in the world could they make a relationship work? She was going back to New York in less than a week.

Sure, her run on the show would be up in two months, just short of a year. It had been a good, profitable run, but not enough for the theatre to keep it going beyond that point. She had actually long accepted it, ready for a new challenge. She was meeting with her agent shortly after the new year to discuss that anyway. There had been some interest in a movie or TV role, but she wasn't sure about making the leap. She'd done that when she was young and it had been a disaster. Now that her name as finally back in good graces, she wasn't sure about risking it on another non-stage project.

But _if_ it was in LA…

Groaning, Rachel reached for her wine glass, trying to change that thought process. Or at least numb it.

* * *

"Here."

Blaine looked up from his spot on Rachel's couch to see coffee cup. "Anything stronger?" It was swapped for a glass with clear liquid. He was quick to take that glass, taking a sip as he leaned back again.

"Blaine, I'm so sorry," Kurt offered.

The curly haired man groaned, "Why do I always do this?"

"Do what?"

"Pick the bad boys."

Kurt sighed, "You didn't know he was a bad boy." Okay, so Kurt could kind of tell he was a weasel, but he wasn't going to tell _Blaine_ that.

Blaine scoffed. "I knew he wasn't good." He took another sip. "I wish I could say Sebastian was an unusual blemish on my dating record. Why am I attracted to a person I know isn't good?"

Kurt sighed and squeezed Blaine's shoulder as he set the coffee down on the side table and took a seat. "I do happen to know the answer to that. Because you're hoping you're wrong and every time he doe something that tells you that he's no good, you ignore it. And every time he does something that surprises you, he wins you over and you lose that argument with yourself that he's not for you."

Blaine gazed at him in awe. " _Exactly_." He sat up some. "Then there's the old standby...I can't believe a guy like him would be with someone like me." Kurt opened his mouth to argue that point, but Blaine kept going. "You know what he told me? He never had any reshoots for the movie at all. He just wanted to spend Christmas with this guy, Hunter. They met on the set of that movie and have been basically together this whole time. Which also means I shipped his gifts to an empty lot."

Kurt rolled his eyes, "Serves that meerkat face right."

Blaine raised an eyebrow for a second and then sighed, running a hand over his hair. "Look, I don't want to ruin your Christmas Eve. I'll get out of your hair." He moved to stand up but Kurt put a hand on his arm, keeping him seated.

"I don't mind. I like the company." He sent Blaine a small smile. "Look, Blaine, first things first - you are an _amazing_ guy and anyone would be lucky to be with you." That got the tiniest of smiles from the younger man. "And I know a lot of people just say it, but I do know how you feel." Blaine frowned as Kurt leaned back, his head on the back of the couch as he stared up at the ceiling.

"You see, I was sorta seeing someone back in LA. He was an actor on the first movie I got after college. We hit it off. He even hired me to be his personal stylist. I thought we were falling in love. Turns out it was just _me_. I found out he was hooking up with another actor on set...that he was in fact in love with _him_ , not me."

Kurt sighed again, rubbing his eyes. "I guess what I'm saying is that I understand feeling as small and as insignificant as humanly possible. And how it can actually ache in places you didn't know you had inside you. And it doesn't matter how many new hairstyles you try, amazing outfits you get, or how many glasses of wine you drink with your friends... you still go to bed every night going over every detail and wonder what you did wrong or how you could have misunderstood."

Kurt had a sudden intake of air, trying to keep himself from starting to cry. He refused to cry about Adam again. "And how in the hell for that brief moment you could think that you were that happy. And sometimes you can even convince yourself that he'll see the light and show up at your door." He took a deep breath. "And after all that, however long all that may be, you'll go somewhere new. And you'll meet people who make you feel worthwhile again." He sent Blaine a tiny smile. "And little pieces of your soul will finally come back. And all that fuzzy stuff, those years of your life that you wasted, that will eventually begin to fade."

Blaine blinked. "Well damn, you need this more than me." He handed Kurt the vodka, the paler man sending him another small smile as he took a swig. "That's what you're doing here, Kurt? Trying to get over someone?"

Kurt took another sip. "Yep. This is me in good shape. That other actor I mentioned? They got engaged the day before I arrived in the city."

"And you can't escape him because you work together?"

Kurt nodded. "Yep. We were on the same movie again for the past few months and I'm still his stylist. He _needs_ me."

Blaine narrowed his eyes. "That's the text you got, wasn't it?"

"Yep." Kurt popped his lips on the 'p.' "He needs me to help him look good." Kurt took another swig of the glass, almost finishing it.

"So you can never really forget him, which is great for him but sucks for you," Blaine recapped.

Kurt finished the glass, chuckling dryly. "See how much better your life is to mine?"

"Okay," Blaine stated, grabbing the glass and setting it on the coffee table. "We are going to forget about the pigs in our life and enjoy the rest of our Christmas Eve. Let's make some homemade pizza, pour some new glasses of booze and watch some Christmas movies that remind us of being young and alive." He stood up and offered Kurt his hand.

The older man smiled, "Sounds great." Kurt pulled Blaine in for a hug. "You really are a great guy."

Blaine smiled, "I know. It's a blessing and a curse."

Kurt chuckled and bumped his shoulder into Blaine's as they pulled apart. "Nerd."

That got a laugh from the other, "Proud of it." As Kurt moved to walk past Blaine, he put his hand on Kurt's shoulder, giving it a squeeze. "And for the record, this guy is an idiot. Any guy would be lucky to have _you_ too."

Kurt sighed, wishing he fully believed that. He was getting closer, but wasn't completely there...yet. "Thanks. Now, pizza?"

"And _Love Actually_?"

Kurt snorted, "Naturally."

* * *

"Daddy, can we watch the Grinch?"

Finn smiled at Sophie's hopeful look. "After we finish up here and then get cleaned up, okay?"

"Yay!" the girl cheered, making Finn smile and her brother rolled his eyes. That made Finn chuckle silently. Man had his son picked up some things from Kurt.

"You don't want to watch it, buddy?" he asked his son as they continued to decorate cookies for Santa.

Jamie shrugged. "I do, I just…" The boy sighed. "I wish there was more people watching with us."

Finn bit his lip, afraid to ask but he knew he needed to. "Like who? You know your friends are home with their families too." Millie would be here in the morning but she always went to mass and that had never been a Hudson tradition.

Another shrug. "Unca Kurt? Grandpa and Grandma?" The boy continued to decorate, not looking up from his cookies and sprinkles. "Unca Sammy? Miss Rachel?" At the last one, he looked up at his father.

"Yeah, can Miss Rachel come over?" Sophie immediately latched onto that idea.

Finn held in his sigh. _This_ was what he was worried about after Rachel had stayed for the movie a few days ago. "I think Miss Rachel already had plans for the next few days," he lied. "But maybe another day."

"Yay, I like her," Jamie smiled. That also made Finn want to sigh. His son had always been more shy than Sophie, taking longer to make friends. That he liked the woman Finn had had sex with once and slept with twice and likely wouldn't see again made his heart ache. Unless… _No, don't go down that train of thought right now._

"Me too, but kiddos, you know she really lives far away right? She's only here for a bit on a trip so we probably won't get to see her much," Finn commented.

The kids sighed and nodded, remembering their father telling them that the morning after the movie night when they wanted to know where she was. "Yes Daddy," they both murmured.

"How are those cookies coming?" he asked, distracting them. He could worry about Rachel _after_ the kids were in bed and Santa had put out their gifts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I know Kurt’s speech is pretty much just taken from the movie. It’s one of my favorite parts and I didn’t want to change much of it.


	6. Chapter 6

Kurt had just finished indulging in some crepes with strawberries and fresh whipped cream late on Christmas morning when his phone rang. Glancing at the caller ID, he cringed a little. Normally, he'd loved to talk to his dad, but he hadn't spoken to him since he'd taken his spontaneous trip to the east coast and he was sure he was going to get a lecture about running away.

Taking a deep breath, he answered the phone. "Merry Christmas Dad."

"Merry Christmas, Kiddo," Burt greeted. "How are you doing out in sunny LA this holiday?"

Kurt sighed. He knew his dad had likely already talked with Finn. "Please, Dad, I know you know where I am."

Burt sighed, just like his son. "Only because your brother told me a couple days ago. Why didn't you tell me you were spending the holiday in New York? Who are you visiting?"

"No one in particular...I just needed to get away from LA for a bit." Kurt moved to the living room, watching the 'fireplace' burning on the TV. "I needed some space."

Burt hummed. "Carole showed me what you are needing 'space' from in one of her gossip magazines. I've been wondering when you'd talk to me." He paused, " _If_ you'd talk to me."

Kurt frowned. Adam had been a sore subject with the pair for awhile now. After the initial heartache from that first movie, Burt tried to convince Kurt to cut contact with him, to protect his heart - ' _because you matter, son_ ' - and when Kurt didn't listen, it eventually became a bone of contention between the two. Burt hated to see his son in pain; Kurt hated to hear the disappointment in his dad's voice. Eventually, they just didn't talk about it.

Until today, apparently.

"I know you probably think of me as a coward for running across the country, Dad, but I actually think it's been very good for me," Kurt started.

"I actually think it was a smart idea, kiddo."

Kurt blinked. "...what?"

He could practically hear his dad removing his baseball hat and rubbing his head. "You needed some distance to put everything into perspective, I get that. I just hope you're using this time to not just escape, but really think about things...how to move forward from all this."

"I am." Kurt acknowledged. This trip had helped him to rebuild his self esteem, whether it was words from Walter or Blaine or his own thoughts. It had also helped him reconnect with a side of him that he'd long ignored by going to shows and singing with Blaine. It made him wonder about changing his career path again.

"Kurt?"

The younger man blinked, realized he'd gotten quiet. "Sorry, was thinking about…" Kurt sighed. "Dad, do you think I gave up on singing too quickly?"

Kurt couldn't see it, but Burt smiled. _That_ was starting to sound like the son he knew. "Has being in New York made you think about singing again?"

"Maybe, I don't know. I've just been wondering if I shouldn't change things up in more than one way to help me get out of this rut," Kurt commented.

"Well, I know that your heart has been part of the, uh, problem, lately," Burt started, getting a dry chuckle from Kurt. "But maybe it's time to listen to it right now. If singing is what's going to make you smile again, to fulfill you and help you realize just how awesome you are, then I say go for it. You know I'll support you, no matter what."

Kurt smiled, "I know you will. Thanks Dad." He sighed softly, "I love you."

"Love you too, Kiddo. Now tell me more about what you've been doing in the Big Apple."

* * *

Finn watched as the kids curled up in their tent with cups of hot chocolate, watching the _Sound Of Music._ Kurt was on the screen of the tablet next to them, 'watching' with them. It was a tradition he'd started with his niece and nephew when they were babies, wanting to do something with them that he'd done with his mom as a child. It amused Finn that he'd insisted on doing it still this year even when he was across the country. Millie was in the kitchen, cleaning up after their afternoon dinner.

The ringing of his phone startled him and he quickly answered, stepping away from the twins and his mother-in-law. "Hello."

"Merry Christmas Honey," Carole greeted.

"Merry Christmas Mom," Finn returned. "You want to talk to the kiddos?"

"In a minute, dear," she replied. "How are you doing?"

Finn sighed, "I'm confused, to be honest."

"Oh? Tell me about it," she offered. The pair had gotten even closer over the past two years when Finn leaned on her for advice as as single parent.

So he did. He told her about how he'd gone to Kurt's, not knowing that he was out of town and met the woman staying there. He told her about how Rachel had immediately drawn him in with her fiery personality and beauty. How he felt a chill run up and down his spine when they sang together and when they kissed - something he hadn't felt since Marley. Possibly even stronger than with Marley. He told he about how she'd fit in with Sam and the others and how the kids liked her.

Then he told her about how she lived in New York and was going back in a few days. He told her about how even though he felt like something could happen between them he didn't see _how_ it could be.

"Well, that _is_ a predicament you've got yourself in," his mom answered when he finally stopped talking.

"Yeah," Finn sighed, peering around the corner, relieved that the kids were still distracted by the movie. He smiled a little when he could hear Kurt singing with them through the tablet screen. Then he walked away again to focus back on his conversation. "What should I do?"

"Follow your heart," Carole answered quite easily. "Your heart is what led you to take a risk and move to LA with your brother and friends after high school to pursue music. It was also what helped you figure out that teaching was your true gift. And we know your heart factored into your relationship with Marley. You've always done best when you follow your heart. So what is your heart - not your head - saying now?"

Finn smiled. "Thanks Mom. You want to talk to the kids now?"

Carole chuckled, having a feeling she knew what her son was going to do. "Sure."

* * *

Blaine sat at his piano, mindlessly playing a tune as he thought about the last 24 hours. A part of him couldn't believe he'd suddenly become single over Christmas. A bigger part _could_ believe it. Like he's told Kurt, Sebastian wasn't an unusual blip on his dating record.

Kurt…

A smile crossed his face with the thought of the fair skinned, blue eyed man. It surprised him a bit how easily they slipped into a friendship and he hoped that they could stay that way when Kurt went back to LA. His smile slipped a little at that thought. He wished he had a way to keep him in New York. His voice really should be heard…

His phone snapped him out of that train of thought. "Merry Christmas Rach."

Rachel sighed in greeting, "Merry Christmas Blaine."

The curly haired man's smile dropped, "What's wrong? Are you not having a good vacation? Did Jesse call or something?"

Rachel huffed, "No, although I'm not surprised. I almost wish that was what's wrong." Blaine stayed silent, familiar with his friend enough to know when he just needs to let her get it out. "I met someone out here. His name is Finn, he's actually Kurt's brother. And he's so nice, handsome, kind, and our singing chemistry is _amazing_ , but he lives here." She paused for dramatic effect. "With his two kids."

Blaine's eyebrows shot up, surprised Rachel would even be considering something with anyone right now, let alone someone on the other coast. With a family. Although when she set her sights on something…

And if Finn is anything like Kurt, Blaine could see the appeal.

"And you feel something for him?" He finally asked.

Rachel hummed. "Yes. He makes me feel...special."

"But you don't know what to do because…"

"Because how can we make something work if we live thousands of miles apart? And I can't stay out here. I'd love to ask him to come to New York but with Sophie and Jamie, that's unrealistic," Rachel answered.

That surprised Blaine. "You've met his kids?"

"Yes, we watched _Mary Poppins_ together. They are so cute, Blaine. You'd love them," Rachel answered, almost gushing.

Blaine scratched the back of his neck, thinking. He knew what he'd do, but he was a romantic. He also knew Rachel was similar, just more direct and driven than him. "Want to know what I think?"

"Yes please."

"Talk to him because I can tell you haven't. See what he's thinking too. If you both really feel something…something that could be real and good…then you'll figure it out," Blaine offered.

He could hear her smile on the other side of the call. "Thanks B. I knew you were the one to ask. Sorry for dumping that on you during your holiday. What are you and Sebastian doing today?"

Blaine sighed. "Nothing. We broke up yesterday. I found out he was cheating on me with someone from his movie."

"Oh Blaine," Rachel sighed. "God, men are pigs, I swear. I'm so sorry."

"It's okay. Kurt and I hung out last night and despite the emotional upheaval, we actually had a good time," he answered.

He couldn't see Rachel's raised eyebrow. "Have you been hanging out with Kurt a lot?"

"Some. We bumped into each other a few nights after he got here and one thing led to another. He's a great guy."

Rachel hummed again. "Well that's great. Well I'll see you in a few days, right?"

"Of course, Rach. Good luck with Finn."

"Thanks! Good luck with Kurt!"

She hung up before Blaine could counter that statement. What did she mean by _that_ exactly?

* * *

"Wow," Blaine murmured.

Kurt smirked. "I know, I'm good."

The shorter man chuckled softly, "Well, I kind of assumed, but you exceeded my expectations."

Kurt preened a little. "Thank you."

Walter cleared his throat. "Can the person _in_ the suit talk now?"

The older man was standing in front of a floor length mirror at a men's boutique with the younger two flanking him, inspecting Kurt's handy work. The stylist was, of course, in charge of finding the honoree something suitable to wear. The singer was just offering his opinion.

Kurt chuckled, "Of course. How does this feel?" He ran his hands over Walter's shoulders, smoothing things out. He'd picked out a classic black suit, with charcoal grey lapels and a white shirt. The fun accents were a teal bow tie, a grey and teal checkered handkerchief, and jeweled cufflinks. Subtle, but enough to add a little pop and flair in the older man's outfit.

Walter turned a bit and looked at himself. Then he sighed, a small smile on his face. "Michael would have loved this."

The younger men exchanged a small smile. "But do you?" asked Blaine.

Walter nodded, "Of course."

Kurt smiled, "Good, because I have the perfect last touch." He stepped away for a moment before reappearing with a beautiful wooden cane. It was made of a heavy, dark wood, but had an intricate peacock carved into the handle, with the feathers carrying down the base. Areas were stained to provide a little color, teal included, in spots. The eyes of the beautiful bird were teal stones.

"Oh Kurt, that's perfect," Blaine gushed.

Walter nodded, "I love it, thank you" He walked a few steps with the cane, already showing signs of being stronger than he was a few days ago. It really did look more like an accessory than a necessity. "It must have cost a fortune, though."

Kurt waved his hand dismissively, "Well for one, I know how to bargain hunt, and secondly, think if it as a thank you. You've helped me a great deal over this trip of mine." The pair exchanged a smile.

Blaine smiled at the pair. "I can't wait to see what you're wearing to go with this, Kurt."

The taller man grinned. "Well, I won't tell you exactly but let's just say I'm making sure I'm the best accessory of this ensemble."

* * *

Rachel paced the living room, trying to get the courage to go to Finn's place. It had been another two days since her talk with Blaine. She'd _finally_ decided that she wanted, no needed, to talk to Finn to see where he stood on everything. But the usually confident woman was struggling with following through. Today, however, she was going to surprise him. Or call him. Yeah, maybe calling him to meet would be—

Knock, knock, knock.

Biting her lip, Rachel went to the door and swung it open to find Finn standing there. "Hi."

He sent her a small, lopsided smile. "Hey. Can I come in?"

Rachel nodded, pulling him inside. Any thoughts she had about talking with him first vanished when she stared into those eyes. Instead, she barely had the door shut before she lunged forward, capturing his lips with hers.

"Rachel."

Kiss.

"We."

Another kiss before moans escaped from both of them.

"Should."

The pair kissed again as her arms wrapped tighter around his neck. His own arms slid down to pick her up, her legs automatically wrapping around his waist.

When his lips moved to her neck, she let out a breath. "Should what, Finn?"

He looked up, his pupils just as dilated as hers. "I forgot." His lips attached themselves to hers again as he guided them to the bedroom.

* * *

Blaine's heart skipped a beat when he saw Kurt walking towards him at a theatre for their night out. Blaine had secured them tickets to Lin Manuel Miranda's latest show for his second to last night in the city. Tomorrow was Walter's event and then Kurt was flying back to LA the next morning.

The taller man was wearing dark grey suit pants, a white and dark burgundy checkered shirt with a matching burgundy tie and jacket. Blaine was pretty sure the jacket was made of velvet.

He was _gorgeous_.

He swallowed, his mouth dry for a second. Ever since Rachel's comment two days ago, he'd found himself wondering about Kurt more.

"Earth to Blaine," Kurt teased, finally breaking through his thoughts. "Where'd you go? I've been calling your name for a minute now."

Blaine smiled wide, trying to shake it off. "Just stunned by your beauty, I guess," he winked, trying to come across jokingly and lightly flirty.

Kurt smiled, a slight pink appearing on his cheeks. Blaine then felt those blue eyes - although they looked a little more green right now - look him over and he felt himself blush in the process. He'd gone with one of his favorites - red dress pants, a black suit jacket, and a black, white and red plaid dress top. He added a white bow tie _just_ for Kurt. He'd also been running late so he'd let his curls run loose, just running some styling gel through them to look tousled, but not gelled down like usual.

"Thank you. You look amazing as well." Kurt reached over and tugged on a stray curl or two. "I _love_ your hair this way, you should always wear it this way when you're not on stage." Then he straightened his bow tie. "And I knew I was right about the bow ties," he teased, winking.

Blaine smiled, "Yes, I think I see them coming back quite a bit."

"Good," Kurt smiled back. "Shall we?"

Blaine nodded and gestured for Kurt to lead the way as he pulled out the tickets. They continued to exchange banter back and forth as they reached their seats.

"Kurt?"

The pair turned at the voice, the LA resident grinning. "Tina! Oh my god!" He lunged forward, hugging the Asian woman who also sitting in the box where Kurt and Blaine were. "It's so good to see you. I can't believe I forgot you were in the city!"

They pulled apart as Tina answered. "It's good to see you too. I can't believe it's been, what, five or six years?" The pair had run into each other from time to time back in Lima after school, but were rarely in the same city now.

Kurt groaned, "Don't remind me that it's been that long. How are you?"

"I'm good. I'm a dance instructor and still get some small background jobs on shows from time to time. My husband, Mike, is in the show with Blaine," she answered, nodding towards the man next to her. Kurt and Mike exchanged a smile and a nod, having met during that last run in. The Changs had met in college where Tina had eventually convinced Mike to pursue dance, not medicine like his parents wanted. Clearly it had paid off. "How about you? How's LA? How's Finn doing? I heard about Marley…"

The lights started to blink, signaling the show getting ready to start. "We can talk after, perhaps?" Kurt asked. Tina nodded as she sat next to her husband, who had been talking quietly with Blaine for a bit. Kurt smiled back before turning back to the actor. Said man was grinning. "What?"

He gestured to their seats and let Kurt choose the one next to Tina. "Nothing. I just marvel at how you seem to either already have friends everywhere you go or just make them."

"What can I say? I'm charming," Kurt teased, winking at Blaine. "And I keep those friends because I have good taste and only take the best."

"Well I take that as a high compliment then," Blaine answered with a whisper with the lights dimming.

"You should."

* * *

Panting was all that could be heard for a few minutes in the LA bedroom.

"Wow."

Rachel smiled. "Agreed." She shifted in the bed, turning on her side as the sheet just barely covered her. The same sheet was just covering Finn's waist. "I just have to say that our chemistry is off the charts."

Finn, still gasping for air some, chuckled. He then met her eyes with a warm smile. "We do go together well, don't we?"

Her smile slipped a little. "We do."

The change in her demeanor made Finn fully turn to face her, propping his head up with his hand. "Why does that make you sad?"

"Because I leave in two days, Finn," she sighed. "What...what do you think we've been doing these past two weeks? Do you really think we should _maybe_ try for something more?" She started to ramble before he could even answer. "Or _maybe_ we should just realize that what we've had has been perfect. And _maybe_ it won't get any better than this. And _maybe_ we're trying to figure this thing out because it makes us feel so good to feel this way. And _maybe_ the fact that I'm leaving soon makes this far more exciting than it might—"

Finn shut her up by kissing her long and slow, his arms wrapping around her again. She sighed into his mouth, melting at the contact. "Or maybe…" he smiled at her when he pulled back before giving her another deep kiss. "I'm in love with you."

Rachel stiffened in his arms, surprised. He pulled back a little so he could really look into her eyes. "I'm sorry to kinda blurt that out and I know it's probably not what you wanted to hear, but I'm totally in _love_ with you, Rachel. I don't think it has anything to do with just how good this makes me feel, which it really does." He sat back this time, putting a little distance between them. "I never thought I'd feel this way again so that's pretty awesome and I get that I come with some baggage."

"I could never think of the kids as baggage, Finn," Rachel interrupted.

Finn smiled. "Okay...a package deal, I guess. And maybe it's not the best deal in the world, but when we're together, Rach, I _finally_ know what I want and that is a miracle to me. And what I want is... _you_."

Rachel couldn't stop the smile that crossed her face or the tears that started to form. If she didn't know any better that would've sounded like a speech from a movie or play. It was beautiful and heartfelt and it moved her. "Finn…" she murmured, pulling him to her so she could convey her feelings with actions, not words.

* * *

"Your turn, Blainey Days!"

Kurt snickered into his drink at the nickname. The four had decided to go out for dinner, which then led to drinks at a local karaoke bar. It warmed his heart that even though he was a Broadway star, Blaine didn't think twice about going to his old bar hangout from college. Tina had just finished singing 'True Colors' in honor of their New Directions days, making Kurt feel a little nostalgic.

He turned to the curly haired man, "Blainey Days?"

Blaine rolled his eyes, but smiled. "I don't know where she came up with it, but…" he shrugged. "Since you made fun of it, however, you get to come up and sing a duet with me."

Kurt raised an eyebrow, "Oh really? And what, pray tell, are we singing Blainey Days?"

"That's for me to know and you to find you, Kurtsie." Blaine hopped out of his seat, narrowly dodging the hand trying to slap him for that nickname. "Come on, let's blow these people away."

Kurt couldn't help the wide smile that crossed his face as he stood and followed Blaine up to the stage. He completely missed the smirk on Tina's face, already sure she was going to witness something magical. She pulled out of her phone to record their performance.

The familiar opening notes started and Kurt blinked, surprised. So surprised that he missed the opening line. Blaine winked at him, picking up the other part.

**Got a light?**

Kurt was quick to take the next one.

_I know you...you're...you're shivering._

Blaine didn't miss a beat, slipping into Mimi's role easily. He brushed off Kurt's comment and walked around the stage, smirking toward the end of his part.

**It's nothing, they turned off my heat  
** And I'm just a little weak on my feet  
Would you light my candle?  
What are you staring at? 

Kurt smiled, getting more into the performance. He stepped a little closer to Blaine, reaching out to him at the end.

 _Nothing, your hair in the moonlight_  
You look familiar  
Can you make it?

Blaine smiled, brushing him off again.

**Just haven't eaten much today  
** At least the room stopped spinning, anyway  
What? 

Kurt shook his head.

_Nothing, your smile reminded me of..._

**I always remind people of...  
Who is he?**

Kurt couldn't stop himself from editing the song a little.

_He died, his name was Adam..._

Blaine sent him a soft smile, knowing what he'd done. Then he continued to act out the scene.

**It's out again  
** Sorry about your friend  
Would you light my candle? 

The pair continued their flirty duet, Blaine trying to seduce Kurt and Kurt trying to not look interested. Blaine even bent down to 'look' for something, sending Kurt a wink. They circled each other, going back and forth, completely forgetting the audience. Then they moved closer to each other as the song slowed for a bit.

_That was my last match_

**Our eyes'll adjust  
Thank God for the moon**

_Maybe it's not the moon at all  
I hear Spike Lee's shooting down the street_

**Bah humbug, bah humbug**

Blaine took one of Kurt's hands into his, the other still holding his mic.

 _Cold hands.._.

**Yours too  
** Big, like my father's  
Do you wanna dance? 

Blaine spun Kurt around, making him smile even if it was out of character.

_With you?_

**No, with my father**

Kurt smiled again, unable to stop himself from adjusting the song again.

_I'm Kurt_

Blaine grinned.

**They call me, they call me...Bla-ine!**

Before Blaine could even pretend to walk away, the bar erupted into loud cheers. The duet partners blinked, suddenly remembering there were other people there. They then exchanged a smile before bowing and waving to the other patrons. They made their way back to the booth with Tina and Mike, getting compliments and pats on the backs as they walked by, but neither of them noticed. Both were in their heads wondering the same thing:

Did that mean _something more_?

"Oh my god, you two were _fantastic_!" Tina gushed, bringing them back to reality.

Mike nodded in agreement, "You really were! Blaine, you're great in the show, obviously, but that was like a whole new level. And Kurt, Tina's told me about you, but _wow_!"

The pair both smiled, thanking the others for their comments. Blaine sent Kurt a look, "He's right you know. If you ever want to consider taking on singing and acting again, I could help you out. You really are amazing, Kurt, and the world should hear your voice."

Kurt felt his cheeks warm up a little. "Thank you. You were outstanding as well."

The pair clinked their glasses together, sharing another glance before turning back to the other couple. Both of them had a thousand thoughts swirling in their heads.

Things had just gotten a lot _more_ complicated.

* * *

Rachel woke up feeling warm, content. For a brief moment, she wasn't sure why. Then she felt strong arms pull her closer and a happy sigh escaped her.

"Good morning," Finn murmured, kissing her cheek before she turned in his arms and pulled him in for a kiss.

"Good morning." The pair continued to kiss for a while, enjoying the feeling of being together after having denied themselves for a few days. Rachel felt like she was thirsty and Finn was her only source of water; she couldn't seem to get enough. She'd never felt that with Jesse. The thought of not being with Finn every day made her ache with need. "Finn," she murmured.

He pulled back, smiling. "I know," he whispered, apparently sensing what she needed. Or maybe he needed it too.

They'd talk eventually.

* * *

"Wait, wait, what, Tina used to stutter?" Blaine asked. He'd gone out to brunch with Kurt before they were going to part ways to get ready for the event tonight. They hadn't originally made plans, but Blaine had suggested it last night when they were leaving Callbacks and Kurt had readily agreed.

Kurt chuckled and nodded. "Yes. Well, fake stutter. Apparently when she was younger she was really shy and having a stutter meant less people talked to her. It took her awhile to stop in glee club, but eventually Mercedes and I broke through her shell during our junior year, her sophomore year."

Blaine shook his head, taking a sip of his drink. "Wow. You wouldn't think her confidence was that low at some point if you only knew her now."

Kurt hummed in agreement. "We all have our low moments." They caught each other's eyes, both knowing that he was referring to.

Blaine opened his mouth to say something when his phone rang. Frowning at the caller ID, he decided to answer it anyway. "It's Bas."

Kurt raised an eyebrow as he heard Blaine's side of the conversation. "Hi." Blaine checked his watch. "I suppose I have a little time." Kurt looked down at his plate as Blaine sighed. "In like a half hour? Okay, bye."

Finally, Kurt looked up and was met with Blaine's confused expression. "What did he want?"

"He wants to talk," Blaine answered, scratching the back of his neck. "I think he wants to get back together."

Kurt put a smile on his face. "Well that's a good thing, right?"

"Is it?" Blaine raised an eyebrow. Should he really be thinking about letting that man back into his life?

Kurt shrugged. "I honestly don't know. Only you can make that choice. At least go hear what he has to say. Maybe it's just closure or maybe it's a second chance."

Blaine nodded and sighed. "Thanks." He pulled a few bills out to pay his part before Kurt could protest. After he gathered his coat, he leaned over and kissed Kurt on the cheek real quick. "See you tonight?"

The stylist felt his heart leap into his throat at the contact, but he worked to maintain his cool. "Yeah, tonight." He watched as Blaine left, suddenly feeling like a part of him was walking out the door.

What _exactly_ was he feeling for Blaine?

Shaking his head, he quickly paid and headed back to the brownstone. Their meal getting cut short just gave him more time to get ready for tonight and pack some more since his flight was in the morning. During his walk back, he thought about the past two weeks. He felt like a part of him was _finally_ clicking back into place. That part of him that he'd lost ever since he'd met—

"Hey love."

Kurt's head snapped up from his gaze on the sidewalk. "Adam?"


	7. Chapter 7

The two of them finally emerged out of the bedroom to enjoy a late lunch. Rachel could feel Brian's eyes on her, like he was waiting on her to make a commitment or a declaration. Truth be told, Rachel hadn't said 'I love you' back to Finn yet. She wasn't sure what was exactly holding her back though.

"So…" Finn started as they finished their meal and moved to the couch.

Rachel bit her lip. "So…"

"How do we want to do this? There's phone calls and video chat and I could try for some trips to New York some weekends, but the kids also have activities and I can't always get Millie or Kurt to watch them," he started.

Rachel sighed. "I really can't make any trips to LA until the show is over in 2 months. We only have one night off per week," she answered. Then she paused, thinking that over. "Well, I suppose I could let my understudy have a show or two and get a few days."

Finn smiled at her and that was all the confirmation she needed for making the right choice. He leaned over and kissed her. "I'd love to come out and see you perform some time too."

That made her heart swell. "I'd  _love_  that." Funny, Jesse only went to opening night and she often wondered if it was because of the press being there. Jesse…

It suddenly hit her she'd just offered to take time off the show, something she'd never even considered for her ex.  _Wow_.

"Finn," she started, standing up so she could slide into his lap.

"Hmm?"

"I love you too." The smile on his face made her heart race and that was all she needed right now. They kissed again, this time full of promise of a future.

* * *

Blaine sat on his couch as Sebastian paced back and forth, trying to explain himself and how he'd realized over the past few days what a mistake he'd made. Or at least that's what Blaine assumed he was saying. All he could think about was Kurt.

Unlike any of the guys in his past, Kurt was a  _good_ guy. He wasn't a 'bad boy' like Blaine seemed to gravitate towards. No, he was a handsome, strong, funny, sarcastic man with a huge heart and amazing voice that made Blaine feel... _whole_. Like he was the missing puzzle piece in Blaine's life.

A laugh escaped him at that thought, making Sebastian stop his speech.

"Killer? Have you been listening?"

Blaine smiled. "Nope." He stood and faced his ex boyfriend. "I'm glad you realized what a jerk you were to me for cheating and that you'd lost a great guy, because I really am. And you know what I've figured out? I deserve a great guy too, and you are not it." He held up a hand when Sebastian opened his mouth to protest. "Maybe you can change and I hope you do. I hope you find someone, Bas. But it's not me."

Sebastian narrowed his eyes at him. "Did you meet someone already?"

"I think so," Blaine smiled. "But even if he turns me down, I'm better for having met him and learning through him what I deserve." He glanced at his watch. "I have an event to get ready for. There's a box on the table with your stuff." He looked Sebastian in the eyes once more. "Goodbye Sebastian. Good luck with everything."

He was already heading towards his bedroom when he finally heard the reply. "Goodbye Blaine."

* * *

"What are you doing here?" Kurt asked as he finished walking up the steps that Adam was conveniently standing on. "How did you even find me?"

Adam smiled, "You had something delivered here from Saks. I took a guess that you would and was able to get the address from the clerk."

Kurt rolled his eyes as he opened the door, begrudgingly letting Adam in as well. "Flirted that answer out of him, I bet." He closed the door and turned to Adam, his arms crossed. "You didn't answer the first question."

Adam smiled that smile that always made Kurt's knees go weak and moved closer to him. "I missed you, love." He placed a hand on Kurt's cheek and the stylist couldn't stop his reaction to close his eyes and sigh. It was a soft touch, almost like a ghost.

That thought snapped his eyes open. He took a step away from Adam. "You missed me?" Kurt questioned. "What about Eli? Isn't he enough company for you?" Kurt walked past him into the living room.

Adam sighed, "Don't be like that, Kurt. You know I care about you. It's just…"

Kurt whirled around. "Complicated?" Adam nodded and Kurt rolled his eyes. "Do you even really  _love_  Eli enough to want to marry him? Or is he just a better accessory to you than me?"

"Of course I love him. But I love you too. You're so funny and smart and I've never met anyone that dresses quite like you."

That's when it hit Kurt. Adam was here because he'd never answered his text to pick that outfit out for him. "That's really all it is, isn't? You need me to make you look good. If I put you in something a little edgy, it becomes all the buzz in the fashion circles, which increases your name being shared and helps you land better jobs. It's all about  _you_  furthering your  _career_." He made a step towards Adam, his stare cold and calculating.

"It was never about  _me_  as a person, as a lover, not even in the very beginning. And you kept stringing me along because you  _knew_  I was madly in love with you so I'd follow you around like a lost puppy." Adam opened his mouth, but Kurt just kept talking, taking another step.

"Well, guess what? I'm  _not_  in love with you anymore, Adam Crawford. You no longer have a hold over me. You made me lose a piece of myself with your damn cat and mouse game, but I  _finally_  found it again and I refuse to let you take it back." He moved to the front door and opened it. " _Goodbye_  Adam. You are no longer welcome in my life - not as a sometimes lover and not as a friend."

Adam slowly moved to stand in the doorway. "Kurt…"

The brunette smirked, knowing what his question was. "Oh, and find yourself a new stylist too." With that he slammed the door in Adam's face.

It took a few seconds for him to fully process what he'd done. When he did—

"YES!"

Kurt couldn't contain the small happy dance he did in the doorway, feeling the chains of his ties to Adam finally breaking free. He no longer had his ghost and it felt liberating.

His phone alerting him with a reminder startled him and he glanced at the time, suddenly rushing upstairs.

He had to get ready to really show off Walter - a man he planned to give a big kiss on his cheek as a thank you for finally helping him see the light. Well, Walter and Blaine…

Kurt let his thoughts go back to that kiss on  _his_  cheek earlier and the song last night. Was Blaine his Mimi?

_God I hope so._

* * *

"Are you sure you have to go?" Rachel asked, clinging to Finn's side. The man had to head back to his house to relieve Ryder and Unique whom had agreed to watch the kids while he'd come over to see her...yesterday.

"I'm afraid so. They both have prior commitments tonight so I have to get home," Finn sighed. He pushed some hair out of her face, cupping her cheek. "Are you sure you can't come with?"

Rachel sighed. "I don't want to make you wake up so early for my flight tomorrow. Not with the kids."

Finn frowned. "Are you sure you have to leave tomorrow? Can't you stay through New Years?"

Rachel bit her lip, thinking. She had a show on the third, which was why she was heading back on the 29th. She figured that gave a few days to readjust from her jet lag and warm up her voice again - something she'd been neglecting during this trip and was surprisingly not feeling guilty about. If she waited to come back until late on the first or second, she realistically wouldn't be ready to perform until the fifth, which would mean missing two shows.

When she looked back into Finn's hopeful eyes, her heart made the decision for her. "Let me make a few calls."

Finn grinned and rewarded her with a kiss. "Oh, I'll have the kids with me on New Year's eve, that okay?"

"Sounds perfect."

* * *

Blaine checked himself over in the mirror once more, satisfied with his look before he went to grab his coat. As he buttoned up and slipped on his gloves, his phone rang.

Glancing down, he smiled as he headed out the door. "Hey Rach."

"Hi Blaine. I know you have that fancy dinner tonight so I'll be brief. I've already called Max and Robert, along with Harmony, to let them know I'm going to miss the shows on the third and forth." She knew Blaine knew those were their producer, director and her understudy.

Blaine briefly paused his walking to the subway, surprised. "Oh really? What's up?"

"I'm staying with Finn for a few more days and I know I won't be in top form until the fifth, that's all. I hope you won't mind," Rachel replied.

"Of course not," Blaine smiled. "I'm happy for you." He paused for a second, "So you're staying in LA for New Years?"

"Yes. I'll have to move out of Kurt's place since he'll be back, but Finn has room and Mercedes might be able to let me stay with her too so we don't confuse the kids since its so new. Apparently Kurt throws a party on New Years so we'll go to that, should be fun."

"Ah, well, maybe I'll see you there," Blaine stated. "Hopefully anyway."

"What?!"

Blaine had to pull the phone from his ear, but chuckled. "I...I don't know for sure. I'll let you know when there's something more to tell."

"You better, Mr. Anderson."

"I promise, Miss Berry."

* * *

When Blaine finally arrived at the GMHC event, it was in full swing and he was immediately pulled into a conversation with some of the event runners. Then he got set near his designated table, which wasn't with Kurt and Walter. He did manage to catch their eyes at one point and smile, getting matching ones in return. He couldn't help the warmth that passed through him at Kurt's smile. It seemed even wider than he'd received recently. He was also proud of himself for guessing Kurt's outfit. The teal patterned suit, black shirt and charcoal grey tie were divine on the stylist. He'd even added a peacock brooch to completely tie into Walter's outfit. It also made him feel good about his choice, knowing the colors would complement well.

"Blaine Anderson."

Blaine blinked and smiled as he ran into Elliot Gilbert, aka Starchild, a rising star on the pop rock charts. He had come to see Blaine's show and they'd become friends over their mutual love of different types of music. "Hi El, how are you?"

"I'm great man. Hey, I saw some video of you performing at a karaoke bar last night. It was amazing! Best I've ever heard you sing, I think," he teased.

Blaine blinked, "Really?" He mentally cursed Tina, assuming she was the one to post it. Then he focused in on the last part. "The best I've ever sounded?"

Elliot nodded, "Definitely. And your partner! Who is  _that_  guy? He was outstanding. Is he in anything and I just don't know about it?"

Blaine smiled. "He's great, isn't he? His name is Kurt, he's actually here tonight, I can introduce you later. He's not in anything at the moment."  _But maybe he could be…_

The pair heard the DJ announce they were ready to start the meal and awards. "Sounds great, Blaine. Good to see you." Blaine waved goodbye, heading over to the side of the stage. He was going to sing a bit while everyone ate. He snuck another glance in Kurt and Walter's direction, noticing they were seated and talking.

"Is Blaine performing?" Kurt murmured to Walter. "He didn't tell me that."

Walter smiled at how flustered Kurt had seemed to be ever since he'd picked the honoree up a couple hours ago. The younger man had managed to tell him during their ride over to the venue about how he'd confronted Adam and kicked him to the curb, thanking Walter for helping him. The older man had brushed that off, knowing Kurt had really been the one doing the hard work. That and he knew  _another_  gentleman had helped Kurt find himself again. The one about to take the stage, apparently.

"You two don't know everything about each other yet, do you?" Walter teased.

Kurt glared at him, "No." Then he sighed, "although sometimes I feel like I've known him forever, like from a past life or something."

Walter smirked. "Why Roger, did you find your Mimi?"

A blush crossed Kurt's cheeks. "I'm hoping so." He took a sip of his drink. "Did I tell you we sang 'Light my Candle' last night? Blaine chose the song."

Walter chuckled. "You didn't, but I saw it anyway." Kurt furrowed his brow. "Someone posted it online and Seth found it. He sent it to me. You two were fantastic."

"Tina…" Kurt muttered. Before he could say anything else, however, the DJ announced that the meal would be starting and that they had some entertainment while they ate.

"Give it up for Broadway's latest rising star, Tony Nominee Blaine Anderson!"

Blaine quickly climbed up onto the stage, waving and smiling at the crowd that cheered. Kurt drunk in his striking eggplant suit, black shirt and bow tie, noting how well their outfits would look next to each other. He also wore his hair curly like he had yesterday at the show. "Thank you! I'm so honored to be here tonight to sing a few songs. I know that if it weren't for the people in this room, particularly the fantastic honorees, that I likely wouldn't be able to do what I love for a living. Definitely not as an out and proud gay man. So I'd like to say thank you to all of you for the work you've done over the years to help make things today possible for myself and everyone else." The group cheered as he moved over to the piano, playing a few keys.

"I'll be honest with all of you, I didn't really think of a set list before I got here. I'm just going to go with what I'm feeling, is that okay?" He got some cheers and he smiled in reply. He glanced out at Kurt, sending him a special smile. His eyes never left Kurt as he introduced the song. "This first song is for someone I recently met. It was kind of a bizarre way to meet, but in some ways I feel like it was fate. He's quickly become someone important to me. This is for you, Kurt."

The fair skinned man's eyes widened and Walter couldn't help but chuckle when he felt a hand squeeze on his arm in surprise. The grip got a little tighter as Blaine started to play a slowed down melody that took Kurt a second to place.

**You think I'm pretty**  
**Without any makeup on**  
**You think I'm funny**  
**When I tell the punchline wrong**  
**I know you get me  
** **So I let my walls come down...down…**

**Before you met me**  
**I was alright**  
**But things were kinda heavy**  
**You brought me to life**  
**Now every February  
** **You'll be my Valentine...valentine…**

**Let's go all the way tonight**  
**No regrets, just love**  
**We can dance until we die**  
**You and I  
** **We'll be young forever**

Kurt inhaled sharply as Blaine drew out the note at the end of 'forever,' feeling the hair on the back of his neck stand up. This couldn't really mean what he hoped it meant, did it?

Although Blaine was getting into the performance, closing his eyes at times, he made sure to open them and stare directly at Kurt as he sang the chorus, silencing any doubt Kurt was having.

**You make me feel like**  
**I'm livin' a teenage dream**  
**The way you turn me on**  
**I. Can't. Sleep**  
**Let's run away**  
**And don't ever look back  
** **Don't ever look back**

Blaine continued to put everything into the song as his fingers pounded on the keys of the piano. It warmed his heart to see how locked Kurt's eyes were onto him every time he looked at him. They held each other's gazes as he sang his favorite line of the song, again extending the note at the end.

**I finally found you**  
**My missing puzzle piece  
** **I'm complete**

As he neared the end of the song, he winked at Kurt and smiled wider at the blush that crossed his cheeks.

**I'mma get your heart racing**  
**In my skin tight jeans  
** **Be your teenage dream tonight**

**Let you put your hands on me**  
**In my skin tight jeans  
** **Be your teenage dream tonight**

As he finished the last few notes the room erupted into huge applause, several people standing or whistling in gratitude. Blaine didn't hear them, however, as he could only focus on one person. Hoping he was reading Kurt's body language correctly, he stood and jumped off stage, making his way to him. This probably wasn't the best venue for this, but he wouldn't be Blaine Anderson without making some kind of grand gesture. Particularly when Kurt made him feel like a teenager again.

Kurt immediately saw him coming and jumped out of his chair, meeting Blaine half way and pulling him in for a kiss. It wasn't as lustful as others might have expected since they didn't know their backstories. But it was still passionate. Arms wrapped around the other man as lips did a dance of desire, hope, and love. When they finally pulled back for air and met each other's stares, both smiled wide.

"There you are," Blaine murmured.

Kurt cupped his cheek, "I've been looking for you forever."

They moved to kiss again, only to hear Walter clear his throat loudly next to them. "Boys, as happy as this makes me, I do believe Blaine is supposed to be on stage."

That was when it hit them just  _where_ they were and they both blushed and laughed. "Right, thanks Walter." Blaine took Kurt's hand. "You mind if I steal your date for a bit?"

Walter smiled, "I was hoping you'd ask."

"What?" Kurt stated, "No, I'm not getting on that stage." His protests were ignored as Blaine turned and went back towards the stage, keeping a firm grip on Kurt's hand and effectively pulling him with.

Kurt wanted to keep fighting, but also didn't want to make a scene so he put a smile on his face as Blaine grabbed the mic off the stand by the piano. "Sorry about that...uh...interruption everyone."

"That's alright honey, we enjoyed the show!"

Kurt and Blaine exchanged a glance, recognizing the voice of Seth, as the audience laughed and hooted. Blaine smiled, "Anyway, this is Kurt everyone and if you happened to see a video going around of me singing a  _Rent_  cover with someone, that would be him." Kurt smiled, rolling his eyes a little at that. " _Sooo_...I'm hoping I can get you all to help me convince him to sing for you and maybe do a duet with me as well?"

The crowd went wild, amused by this variation in the schedule. Blaine lowered the mic and turned to Kurt, sending him a pleading, puppy dog look. Kurt closed the distance between them, whispering in the shorter man's ear. "You're lucky I like you."

Blaine grinned, taking a step back to meet his eyes. "I like you too. A lot. That's why I want you to be happy, Kurt, and singing seems to do that. So why not do something that makes you happy?"

"To a room full of people involved in the theatre community  _and_  fashion?"

Blaine looked him up and down, "Well your suit will have clearly wowed the fashion people here, why not sing and audition for the broadway group? I know you'll nail it."

Kurt narrowed his eyes at him for a second before smiling and planting a quick kiss on his lips. He then went over to the band, checking to see if they knew the song. When they all smiled and confirmed they did, he turned back to Blaine, taking the mic from him and pushing him to the piano to sit.

Then he turned back to the room and faced people that could potentially impact his future. "Good evening everyone, as Blaine introduced, I'm Kurt Hummel. Thank you for letting me crash this event, I assure you this wasn't planned. I was just supposed to be Walter Cunningham's arm candy." That got laughs from the group, particularly the group that  _knew_  Walter. "I came to New York for the holidays and I can honestly say I don't want to go home tomorrow. These past two weeks have changed me and I think this song is a good reflection of that." He paused for a second, taking a deep breath. "I'm just a little sad I don't have on gold pants." With that he gestured to the band to start up the song.

_Coming home used to feel so good_   
_I'm a stranger now in my neighborhood_   
_I've seen the world at a faster place_   
_And I'm coming now from a different place_   
_Though I may look the same way to you_   
_Underneath there is somebody new_

Kurt couldn't help himself as he got into the song, slipping off his jacket and tossing it at Blaine, who quickly caught it with a large grin on his face. A part of him couldn't believe  _this_  was Kurt's song choice; another, larger part couldn't think of a more fitting option. It made him fall even harder.

_I am not the boy next door_   
_I don't belong like I did before_   
_Nothing ever seems like it used to be_   
_You can have your dreams but you can't have me_   
_Oh, I can't come back there anymore_   
_'Cause I am not the boy next door_

He continued to move about the stage, shimming around and adding other moves as well. Eventually he hopped down, dancing and singing around the tables. He stopped by Walter's table, shaking his shoulders at their friends before he kissed Walter on the cheek during the song break. The song seemed to full embody how he felt after having  _finally_  left Adam in the past and embracing himself, first and foremost, as he set plans for his future. Plans that also happened to include the man smiling at him at the piano as he made his way back on stage.

_I'm not sorry for just being me_   
_But if you look past the past you can see_   
_That I am not_   
_Nothing ever seems like it used to be_   
_You can have your dreams, oh but you can't have me_   
_I can't go back there anymore_

He stopped dancing and took center stage, the microphone back in a stand so he could lift both arms in the air.

_'Cause I am not, I am not, I am not_   
_The boy next door_

Again the whole room erupted into applause and cheers, leaping to their feet. Kurt couldn't help the small laugh that escaped before he felt arms around his waist. "You're perfect."

Kurt turned to catch his eye. "So are you. Duet with me?"

Blaine laughed, "I thought you'd never ask, Mr. Hummel."

* * *

Rachel couldn't believe how much she was laughing while playing with Sophie and Jamie. And Finn. She was quickly learning that he was like a giant kid, which she adored. She could easily see how beloved he must be with his students. Currently, the group was finishing up a game of hide and seek, Sophie having just found all of them. She was going to hang out with the family tonight before heading over to Mercedes' place to sleep. They didn't want to confuse the kids with her sleeping over just yet. Plus she still had to go back to Kurt's and finish packing her things and clean up some. Say goodbye to Brian. But for now, she was just going to enjoy her time with the Hudson clan.

"Daddy, will you sing for us?" Jamie asked.

Rachel smiled, "Yes, Finn, sing for us." She batted her eyes at him. " _Pleeease!_ "

Finn chuckled at her chiming in, but ignored her. "What song do you want to hear?"

Sophie answered. "The one you sang to Uncle Kurt at Grandma and Grandpa's wedding!"

Rachel tilted her head, intrigued. Finn smiled at the request, knowing it was one of the kids favorites. They  _loved_  that story. "Coming right up." He pulled up their playlist on his phone, starting the song through their stereo. Then he turned to Sophie to start the song.

_Oh, her eyes, her eyes make the stars look like they're not shining_   
_Her hair, her hair falls perfectly without her trying_   
_She's so beautiful_   
_And I tell her everyday_

He continued to move around the living room, singing with the kids before he turned to Rachel for the chorus.

_When I see your face_   
_There's not a thing that I would change_   
_'Cause you're amazing_   
_Just the way you are_

_And when you smile_   
_The whole world stops and stares for a while_   
_'Cause girl, you're amazing_   
_Just the way you are_

He pulled her up from her seat and she smiled, joining the family in their dancing around the living room as Finn finished the song. He held her hand and squeezed when he sang two lines in particular at her.

_Oh, you know, you know, you know I'd never ask you to change_   
_If perfect's what you're searching for, then just stay the same_

He also made a point to make sure both the kids were looking at him when he sang the chorus again and she knew he was trying to convey they were perfect just the way they were. It was so sweet and it made her fall even harder.

_And when you smile_   
_The whole world stops and stares for a while_   
_'Cause girl, you're amazing_   
_Just the way you are_   
_Yeah_

"That was amazing, Finn!" Rachel cheered as the kids clapped.

"Do you sing, Miss Rachel?" Sophie asked.

"She sure does," Finn answered. "She's on Broadway. That's why she has to head back to New York in a few days." The kids frowned a little and Rachel bent down to their eye level.

"But maybe someday you'll get to see me on stage. Would you like that?"

"Yeah!" "Really? Cool!"

Rachel chuckled. "Someday, okay? But for now, would you like me to sing for you?" Both of them nodded and cheered, making the adults smile. She pulled up a track on her phone and synced it to his bluetooth speakers. Taking a deep breath, she met his eyes briefly as she started to sing. Then she looked at the kids for a bit before focusing on her love again.

**You don't know about my past and**   
**I don't have a future figured out**   
**And maybe this is goin' too fast**   
**And maybe it's not meant to last**

She smiled wide at him, reassuring him with the chorus.

**But what do you say to takin' chances?**   
**What do you say to jumpin' off the edge?**   
**Never knowin' if there's solid ground below**   
**Or a hand to hold or hell to pay**   
**What do you say? What do you say?**

Finn smiled as her choice resonated for him. She winked before going back to the kids and singing at them, twirling them both with her hands.

**I just wanna start again**  
**And maybe you could show me how to try**  
**Maybe you could take me in  
** **Somewhere underneath your skin**

**What do you say to takin' chances?**  
**What do you say to jumpin' off the edge?**  
**Never knowin' if there's solid ground below**  
**Or a hand to hold or hell to pay  
** **What do you say? What do you say?**

When she finished, she received her favorite standing ovation yet.

"You sing real pretty!" Jamie stated and Sophie nodded.

"Like an angel!" the girl added.

Rachel smiled, surprised to feel herself blushing a little. Apparently their opinions meant even more to her than she realized. "Thank you. That means a lot to me to hear you say that. Should we sing a song together now?"

"Yeah!"

* * *

"For over 50 years of service to the LGBTQ community, helping countless people fight for their rights when they otherwise couldn't afford legal representation, we are so pleased to honor Walter Cunningham this evening!"

Kurt smiled and stood with Walter, giving him a quick hug before he sent him on his way up to the stage as the group all applauded. Eventually he slipped back into his seat, feeling Blaine take his hand. After their performance, there was some rearranging at the table to make room for the Broadway star. He turned to Blaine and sent him a small smile before Walter took his attention again.

"Thank you," Walter started, eyeing the gold and wooden plaque on the podium. "I still feel a little out of place accepting this award. When I think of leaders of our community, of people that really made a difference, I think of their courage to face all those that don't understand us. That hate us, still to this day. I don't think of a man that while he was helping people fight injustices in the legal system, he was also living a lie with his wife and kids. It wasn't until I lost a good friend, the great Monty Manford to AIDS, that I realized I couldn't keep living a lie. I am grateful for the time I  _did_ have with my husband Michael before he passed, but if I could go back and talk to my twenty or thirty year old self, I'd have some advice to share."

He took a breath and then steadied his gaze on the new couple at his table. "Advice that I'd like to share with everyone here. Yes, I may be up here because of the legal advice I've given over the years, but I'd like  _this_ to be my legacy more. Because, ultimately, this is what all of us here tonight have been trying to do for the next generations. So here goes:

Don't waste time pretending to be someone you're  _not_. Don't waste a single  _second_ being anything but your authentic self. We are all meant to love whomever we were born to love. And love is what makes anything upsetting, disconcerting or downright painful worth it. It is truly a lucky thing when you find love. So go be lucky. Take a  _chance_." He locked eyes with Kurt, sending him a small smile and getting one in return. "And whatever happens, even if you get hurt again, just remember the only thing worth doing is going  _towards_ love. Don't waste time double guessing. Don't waste time behaving yourself. You gotta run, you gotta jump, because it won't stick around forever. You gotta grab it while it's right in front of you. And whatever you do, don't let go!"

The whole room erupted into applause again as they stood to congratulate him. As he thanked the room again and begin to make his way back to his seat, Kurt could feel Blaine lean in. He knew Blaine knew what Walter was hinting at.

"Does this mean you're staying in New York?"

Kurt turned and smiled, but shook his head. "I still have to go back tomorrow." Blaine frowned. "But, I do see a move in my future."

That got a large grin. "Need a date for New Years?"

* * *

"You have some explaining to do, White Boy!"

Kurt spun around at Mercedes' greeting, letting herself into his apartment for his New Years party. Unique, Ryder and Sam were already there. So was Blaine. In fact, Kurt had left him with Sam and Ryder as they discussed superheros so that Unique and him could finish some of the food. Although the topic amused him, he loved how easily Blaine seemed to slip into his group of friends. Oh, and Brian was curled up in his lap, having quickly taken to the new man in his owner's life.

He quickly set down the tray of mini quiches he was plating and hugged his best friend. "'Cedes, I owe you  _big_ time!"

She smiled, kissing his cheek. "It sounds like it. Only you would go on a vacation to get over a man and find a new one." They exchanged a smile. "Well, you and Rachel apparently."

Kurt chuckled. "Yes, I'm looking forward to meeting the woman that took care of my cat for two weeks and apparently fell in love with my brother."

"She did more than that, honey," Unique teased as she joined them, giving Mercedes a hug.

Kurt stared at her for a second before connecting her meaning. Then he groaned. "Oh Gaga, Finn is  _so_ buying me a new bed!"

"What is this about a bed?"

Kurt spun around again and smirked at his date. "Nothing. Just remind me that we need to have sex in Rachel's bed at some point as payback."

Blaine had been taking a sip of his drink and just about choked. "Um, what?"

Sam patted Blaine on his back, laughing. "Let me guess, you figured out what your guest and brother were doing while you were away?"

Kurt wrinkled his nose and nodded. That connected for Blaine, making the curly haired man laugh. He pulled Kurt close to him, an arm around his waist. "At least I was a gentleman and took you back to my place," he murmured into Kurt's ear, earning him a blush and a light smack on his chest.  _That_ had been a great way to end Kurt's trip to New York.

"Hush you," Kurt answered, planting a soft kiss on Blaine's lips. They exchanged a loving look, making the rest all internally 'aww' at their cuteness.

Mercedes smiled, "Okay, I approve of anyone that can make you look like that."

Blaine turned to her and stuck his hand out. "Sorry, where are my manners? Blaine Anderson, lovely to meet you."

His hand got batted away as she pulled him in for a hug. "Mercedes Jones." She turn to whisper in his ear, "Thank you for putting that smile back on my boy's face."

Blaine pulled back, "I think he mostly did that on his own over the past two weeks, but you're welcome. And  _thank you_  for sending him to my city."

"Unca Kurt!" "Uncle Kurt!"

The stylist - or was it possibly future Broadway star? - grinned as he turned at the voices, immediately bending down. "There's my babies!" He hugged his niece and nephew tight. "I've missed you two so much!"

"We missed you too," Sophie answered. She pulled back and grinned. "Did you bring us anything?"

"Sophie," Finn chastised.

Kurt smiled. "I did, I'll give it to you soon. But first there's someone I want you to meet, okay?" The kids nodded as Kurt straightened up and hugged his brother. "You too."

"Same, Dude," Finn teased back.

Kurt rolled his eyes. "Don't call me dude." He took a step back and moved to link his hand with Blaine's. "Guys and gal, this is Blaine. Blaine this is my brother, Finn, and his adorable kids, Sophie and Jamie."

Blaine was quick to shake Finn's hand. "It's great to meet you." He looked to Finn's side and winked. "So nice to meet the man my co-star won't stop gushing about."

Rachel huffed a little but smiled. "Pot meet kettle, Mr. Anderson." While Blaine had been waiting on his flight - he had to catch a different one from Kurt since that one was full - the best friends had filled each other in on things, both very happy for the other.

Blaine pulled her in for a quick hug, giving her a kiss on the cheek before bending down to the kids. "It's so great to meet you both."

"Hi. You're pretty," Sophie commented. Blaine grinned as some of the other adults snickered.

Kurt bent down again, "Hey, he's my boyfriend, don't try to steal him away, okay?" Sophie smiled.

Jamie tilted his head and studied the man, "You sing like Miss Rachel and Unca Kurt? 'Cause if you are gonna be with Unca Kurt you have to sing. Singing makes him smile."

Kurt sucked in some air at that statement as it hit him hard. Even though Adam could sing, he didn't like to do it that much. Another reason he'd found that part of him mostly locked away with the British actor in his life. He was so  _grateful_ those days were behind him.

Blaine reached over and squeezed Kurt's thigh, knowing what he was probably thinking about. He nodded to Jamie, "I love to sing. I sing for work I love it so much. And I would  _never_ keep something that makes your Uncle Kurt from smiling away from him, okay?"

Jamie smiled, hugging Blaine briefly. Then he looked up at his dad. "I like him."

The adults all smiled at that. Finn ruffled his son's hair. "Me too." Then he looked at his brother as he stood up. "Bro, this is Rachel. Rachel, my brother Kurt."

The pair eyed each other before grinning and hugging. Mercedes smirked. "I did good."

The new friends separated a little to pull her into a group hug. Finn and Blaine exchanged a glance before joining in. Rachel and Kurt smiled at each other, both thinking the same thing.

_**Best. Holiday. Ever.** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The End!
> 
> Yay, the couples are together and all adorable! Sorry if this chapter was a little song heavy, but would it really be Glee without singing their feelings? I hope you liked the choices. I'll be honest, only Blaine's came really easily to me...then Finn's. The other two I debated on a bit so hopefully they work. Just to be clear, we had:
> 
> "Light My Candle" from Rent (previous chapter)  
> "Teenage Dream" by Katy Perry  
> "Not the Boy Next Door" from the Boy from Oz  
> "Just the Way you Are" by Bruno Mars  
> "Taking Chances" by Celine Dion
> 
> Small epilogue coming!


	8. Chapter 8

**Two Years Later…**

"Look at _all_ the snow!" Jamie exclaimed from the far backseat of the taxi. He wanted to sit by himself with the bags for whatever reason, leaving the other three in the middle row.

Sophie tugged on her dad's jacket. "Dad, can we build a snowman at Uncle Kurt's and Uncle Blaine's house?"

Finn smiled at his kids excitement over spending a week in New York for Christmas. Sure, they had visited the city several times over the past couple years, but this was their first holiday here. Jamie was acting like he'd never seen snow even though he'd gone sledding with Grandma and Grandpa just last year in Ohio and that wasn't even his first trip to the Midwest in winter. Must be because it was 'New York' snow.

"I'm not sure there will be enough snow in the small yard at their house, but there's that park nearby," Rachel supplied as she answered a text from Tina about meeting for dinner while they were in town. Then she turned to the young girl. "Will that be okay, Soph?"

The eight year old nodded, leaning more into Rachel's side since she was sandwiched between the adults. "Yeah. And we can go skating right? Uncle Blaine promised."

Rachel smiled, "Of course sweetie. You know he doesn't break his promises."

"We're here!" Jamie cheered when the minivan stopped in front of Rachel's old brownstone.

It took a minute to get the kids on their feet on the slightly slick sidewalk, but as soon as they were able to they were running up the stairs, leaving the adults to work on unloading the bags. They both knocked on the door loudly.

It soon swung open. "There's my favorite kiddos!" Burt greeted, pulling his grandkids into his arms.

"Grandpa!" they both cheered. Then they looked over his shoulder. "Grandma!"

Burt let them go so they could hug Carole and he went out to help Rachel and Finn get the rest of the bags. "How long are you staying? A month?" he teased as they got the six bags inside.

Finn chuckled as Rachel rolled her eyes. "I have two meetings while we're here, I needed proper attire. Plus one of those bags isn't even full, I left space for the pile of presents you undoubtedly got the kids."

Carole pulled Rachel in for a hug first, "Wise woman, you know Burt." The women exchanged a smile. "It's good to see you dear."

Rachel smiled at the woman becoming like a mom to her, "You too, Carole."

The adults switched, allowing Carole to hug her son as Burt hugged Rachel, who continued his commentary. "And for the record, you know their uncles are just as bad."

Finn smirked. "I can't wait until they have kids, I'm _so_ paying Kurt back."

"I heard that," Kurt muttered, coming from the office. He'd finally finished setting up beds for the kids in there after wrapping up a few calls. He had to finalize the schedule for Ben Platt's wardrobe fitting after New Years for the Golden Globes and Elliot's fitting for the Grammys a week later. Somewhere in the middle there were meetings with their backers about the adaptation for _Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf_ , the second show he and Blaine would be doing together. Sometimes he felt like his was drowning in work, but in the best way possible.

"Tell me I'm lying," Finn smiled, getting an eye roll from his brother as they hugged.

Kurt ignored him and hugged Rachel instead. "I'm assuming you left room in your suitcase for me to take you shopping as well."

Rachel huffed as she unbuttoned her coat. "I _am_ capable of dressing myself, you know."

Kurt looked down at her sweater and raised an eyebrow. "You are? And I thought I burned that when we boxed up your things last year." Official ownership of the LA apartment and the NY brownstone hadn't swapped hands until last Christmas, even if it had unofficially long before that. The pair had also briefly lived together when Kurt moved to the city while Rachel was still wrapping up things in New York. It was _just_ enough time for Kurt to develop an informed opinion on Rachel's wardrobe.

"Uncle Kurt, why would you burn Rachel's sweater?" asked Jamie.

"Because it's a crime against fashion, hon," he answered sweetly. Finn gently slapped him upside the back of the head. "Hey!" he squawked.

"Leave my girl alone, dude."

Rachel beamed and kissed Finn on the cheek, ignoring Kurt's grumbling. "Thank you."

Burt shook his head, amused. "I swear sometimes Sophie and Jamie are more mature than you two." His boys both glared at him. "And its moments like this I'm glad we're staying at Walter's." There wasn't quite enough space for the whole family to fit comfortably and since Grandpa Walter - a title he gained over a year ago - was visiting his family in DC this year, he offered his place to the group. Burt and Carole were staying over there, along with Mercedes and Sam when they came out for New Years, the former finishing up cutting her debut album. A recording contract that Blaine, via Elliot, had helped her score.

Soon the group was settled in the house; coats and boots were tucked away and luggage was taken to the office or to the guest room. "Where's Uncle Blaine?" Sophie finally asked as Kurt finished making hot chocolate for the group.

Kurt smiled as he handed his niece her cup. "Careful, it's hot. And your boyfriend should be on his way home. He had a meeting that ran long." Blaine was meeting with the screenwriter helping them with the LGBTQ adaptation of their play.

Sophie giggled at the comment as she sipped her hot chocolate and went into the living room to watch a movie with her grandparents and her brother. That left Kurt with his brother and his girlfriend. "So how's the show going?"

Rachel smiled. "It's great! Although it can be draining at times so I'm grateful for this month off." Shortly after wrapping _She Loves Me,_ Rachel had gotten offered a part in a movie musical that had helped launch her name into the mainstream media. After a short run play in LA over the that summer and a few smaller parts, she had gotten cast in a TV show that had a part made for her. It also allowed for her to stay comfortably in LA with Finn, having moved in with the family a few months ago. Brian rubbed against her legs, purring. "Hey buddy." She picked up the cat and cuddled him.

Kurt smiled, "Well someone is happy to see you."

That got a chuckle from the TV star, "Well we _did_ bond over those two weeks."

"Can you believe it's been two years?"

Finn pulled Rachel to him, kissing the top of her head. "A great two years."

"Rachel, come watch with us!" Jamie yelled. Rachel smiled at the men in the kitchen, taking the cat with her as she went to join the kids.

"I'm really happy for you, Finn," Kurt stated before taking a sip of his hot chocolate.

Finn smiled, "Thanks. I'm happy for you too Bro." Then he stuck his head down the hall, making sure no one was coming, before he pulled something out of his pocket. "Can you keep a secret?"

Kurt's eyes grew wide as Finn handed him a ring box. He managed to cover his mouth with his hand to quiet his squeal. "Oh Gaga, this is amazing!" He opened the box and gasped softly at the princess cut diamond on platinum band. "Nicely done, she's going to _love_ it."

"Yeah?"

Kurt tore his eyes away from the ring to look at his brother's face, which was covered in nervousness. "Yeah. I really don't think you have anything to worry about. She finds your lumberjack style and odd obsession with 70s soft rock enduring and oddly attractive."

Finn laughed and punched Kurt lightly in the arm. "You mean like how Blaine puts up with your scarf obsession and Broadway collection?"

"Well considering I'm _on_ Broadway _with_ your brother, it hardly seems to be a bother," Blaine stated as he entered the kitchen, greeting his boyfriend with a kiss. "And I happen to think he looks _amazing_ in scarfs."

"You only think that because I can use them to cover up things when you get too—"

"Ew! I don't need details," Finn cut Kurt off, pulling Blaine in for a hug. "Good to see you."

"You too Finn. What prompted the scarf comment, by the way?" Blaine teased. Kurt quickly showed his boyfriend the ring. "Oh! _Oh!_ " He smiled wide, hugging Finn again. "She's going to love it."

"Thanks."

Kurt's phone rang and he glanced down. "It's Walter, bet he forgot something that he needs me to ship," he rolled his eyes with a smile. "Be right back."

Blaine watched as he walked away before turning back to Finn. "Can you keep a secret as well?"

Finn raised an eyebrow, a smile crossing his face. "Are you…?"

Blaine nodded. "It's hidden upstairs. I'm going to ask when we perform at the GMHC event again next week, on our two year anniversary."

Finn grinned and hugged his soon-to-be brother-in-law. "That's great man."

Blaine smiled. "Thanks."

"You think Rachel and Kurt would want to do a double wedding?"

That earned him a snort. "Please, they'd kill each other."

"Uncle Blaine!"

The shorter man smiled and turned around, getting an armful of kids. "Hey, it's my favorite monkeys! I've missed you guys."

"We missed you too!" Jamie answered.

Sophie pulled on his arm, "Come watch a movie with us?"

"Of course, Princess," Blaine winked, letting her drag him into the living room. That's where he found his best friend. He bent down and kissed her cheek since she had a lapful of cat. "My Queen."

Rachel laughed. "Hey B."

"We've got room on the couch, Blaine," Burt smiled at his third son. He knew what was coming soon, Blaine asking for his permission when they were in Ohio for Thanksgiving.

"Noooo, sit with us on our pillows," Sophie whined.

Blaine and Burt exchanged a smile as the younger man let himself get pulled onto the floor. That's how Finn and Kurt found their family a few minutes later after Finn hid the ring and Kurt hung up from Walter. Carole and Burt were curled up together on the couch with space next to them, Rachel on the loveseat with Brian and Blaine in a pile on the floor with the twins. The brothers smiled at each other before taking their seats. Finn slid in to the space next to Rachel and she immediately curled into his side, Brian shifting and starting to knead on Finn's stomach. Kurt settled in next to his dad on the sofa, spreading his legs to make space for Blaine as he immediately shifted to lean against it. This allowed for Kurt to gently massage Blaine's scalp.

In short, the moment was _perfect_.

And it was only going to get _better_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that’s it! Just a little flash forward to see how they are doing/where everyone ended up. Hope you liked it! Shout out to everyone that left kudos and to Hadlathneth, TheresaG and Mlkalmar for their multiple reviews - I really appreciate it!
> 
> I hope you enjoyed my first endeavor into the Glee Fandom. Next up will be something completely different - a crossover with Criminal Minds. Different overall tone, more drama and angst, and a lot less couples/ships. Still, I hope you’ll give it a try. Will start to post soon - though updates will take a lot longer.
> 
> Thanks again,  
> Ann Parker


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